WEST OLIVE, MICH. -- The Trine University men's golf team wrapped up the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association automatic qualifier event with the third round and finished in third place overall among he four teams competing at Wuskowhan Country Club in West Olive, Mich.
The Thunder finished the third round with a team score of 311 strokes and an overall team total of 932 strokes (311+310+311=932) to finish third of four teams. Hope (Mich.) College carded a third round total of 292 strokes and ends as the overall team champion with 902 total strokes (310+300+292=902). Kalamazoo (Mich.) College posted the second-lowest team score on the final day at 297 strokes and had a tournament total of 906 strokes (307+302+297=906) to place second.
In the final round, junior Nick Knowlton (Bridgman, Mich./Bridgman) posted the lowest individual score for the Thunder on the day with a two-under 70 strokes and tied for first overall in the final 18 holes. Junior Todd Mieske (Owosso, Mich./Owosso) was second with a score of 78 strokes which put him in a tie for 11th on the afternoon.
Junior Grant Brettnacher (Lafayette, Ind./Harrison) had the third lowest score of the day for the team at 81 strokes and sophomore Cameron Ruge (Coldwater, Mich./Coldwater) was fourth with an 82.
Junior Joe LeSueur (Northfield Center, Ohio/Trinity) rounded out the Trine competitors with a final round of 83 strokes.
Overall for the tournament, Brettnacher finished with the lowest 54-hole total to lead the Thunder and finished fourth overall with a total of 226 strokes (73+72+81=226) and finished 12 shots off the leader. Knowlton ended the tournament with a grand total of 232 strokes (85+77+70=232) to finish second on the team and Mieske had the third lowest total of 236 strokes (79+79+78=236).
Ruge concluded the three-round event with a grand total of 243 strokes (78+83+82=243) and LeSueur finished three strokes back of Ruge at 246 (81+82+83=246) to finish fifth on the team.