Trine Places Second at Lou Collins Memorial

Trine Places Second at Lou Collins Memorial

BATTLE CREEK, MICH.  --  The Trine University men's golf team finished one stroke back of first place to finish second at the annual Lou Collins Memorial hosted by Olivet (Mich.) College at Bedford Valley Country Club in Battle Creek, Mich.

The Thunder improved by 10 strokes on the final day to post a two-day total of 590 strokes (300+290=590) and finished a stroke behind tournament champion Allegheny (Pa.) College at 589 strokes (293+296=589).  Hope (Mich.) College was third with rounds of 297 and 296 strokes for an overall tally of 593 strokes.

Junior Cameron Ruge (Coldwater, Mich./Coldwater) and senior Grant Brettnacher (Lafayette, Ind./Harrison) both led Trine individually with total rounds of 146 strokes and both placed in a tie for sixth overall.  Ruge fired rounds of 75 and 71 strokes, while Brettnacher carded a 74 in the first round and 72 on the final day of competition.

Senior Nick Knowlton (Bridgman, Mich./Bridgman) also placed in the top-10 among the field with a two-day total of 148 strokes (76+72=148) and put him in a tie for 10th place.  Senior Todd Mieske (Owosso, Mich./Owosso) shot rounds of 75 strokes to finish two shots back of Knowlton at 150 total strokes and tied for 13th individually.

Freshman Mitch Lowney (Fenton, Mich./Clarkston Everest) rounded out the team eligible scores with a pair of 77's to end the tournament with a total of 154 strokes and tied for 24th.

Trine also had one player compete as an individual in senior Carlos Coeto (Bernardo, Mexico) and ended the two-day event with a total score of 151 strokes after carding rounds of 75 and 76 strokes, respectively.  His score was good enough to put him in a tie for 16th.

The Thunder are scheduled to host the Ken Venturi Invitational on Friday, Sept. 6 at Zollner Golf Course in Angola, Ind.  The single-round tournament is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.