WEST OLIVE, Mich. - It was a tough start to the three-round MIAA Automatic Qualifier Tournament for the Trine University men’s golf team as they finished fourth with a team score of 318. The Thunder have some ground to make up in the final two rounds as Calvin took home the top spot with a 304, followed by Hope with a 311 and Adrian with a 313.
Only the top four teams from the MIAA’s fall season standings are competing in the spring tournament. The team that finishes with the top cumulative 54-hole score at the conclusion of the three MIAA spring tournaments will receive the MIAA’s automatic bid to the NCAA III Tournament.
Played that the par-71 Wuskowhan Players Club, Calvin’s Dave Sarkipato took medalist honors with a 1-under-par 70.
Leading the way for Trine in a tie for third was junior Nolan Eli (Genoa, Ohio/Genoa) with a round of 5-over-par 76. In a tie for seventh was fellow junior Graham Bennett (Charlotte, N.C./Mallard Creek) firing a round of 78. Senior Brett Powers (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) finished tied for 13th carding a round of 80. Sophomore Brandon Snell (Maumee, Ohio/Maumee) and freshman Bryce Moore (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) rounded out the scoring for the Thunder placing 18th and 19th with rounds of 84 and 85 respectively.
Trine will next play in the Calvin Invitational on April 16 beginning at 1:00 p.m.