OTTAWA LAKE, Mich. – After day one of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Championships, the Trine University men's golf team is third on the leaderboard. The conference leaders Hope College extended their advantage on the rest of the league with a score of 297 on Friday. The Adrian College Bulldogs are currently second through 18 holes at 303 and the Thunder shot a 310. Trine remains second in the league standings but need to pick up 23 strokes to catch up with the Flying Dutch.
The leader in the clubhouse after day one for the Thunder was Kyler Rod. He carded a 75 on Friday and is tied for sixth overall at 3-over. Rod went even on the front nine after starting his round with a birdie on hole one and added a second on the par-3 eighth hole. His back nine was highlighted by going under par on hole 15.
Mark Civanich turned in a 77 and is tied for eighth on the leaderboard. He is still in the driver's seat to obtain MIAA MVP honors for the second consecutive season despite this being his worst score of the five conference rounds played. The senior had three birdies including two on par-5 holes.
Consistency was key for Charlie Eriksen going for a 78 in round one of the event. On the par-5 hole 14, Eriksen hit his lone birdie of the round.
Carter Schnipke and Asher Caldwell each had 80's on Friday afternoon. The duo is tied for 23rd. Schnipke had three birdies as well while Caldwell recorded two birdies. Individual scorer Wade Shafer had a 79 with 12 pars, a team high. He joined several of his teammates by hitting for birdie on hole one.
Tee times for the final round of the MIAA Championship begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 27 as the teams take on The Legacy Golf Club for the second straight day.