Illinois Wesleyan’s men’s golf team set off for Indianapolis, Ind. from October 4-5 for the Wabash Invitational at the Broadmoor Country Club. The Titans took home the gold after a highly competitive 54-hole matchup.
IWU faced fourteen teams including No. 2 Carnegie Mellon, No. 5 Emory, No. 8 Washington and Lee, No. 9 Denison, No. 10 Wittenberg, Greensboro, Kenyon, DePauw, Ohio Wesleyan, and Wabash.
The first day of the tournament offered two 18-hole matches. In the opening game, the Titans scored a season-best total game of 284 strokes. The second match of the day followed with a 292, which left the Titans at a 576 as the day drew to a close.
The first day was headed by seniors Carl Christensen, Jimmy Morton and Will Nummy. Christiansen took the Titan lead quickly, firing off nine birdies and a 65 on the 72-par course. He tallied a one-over 73 during the second game. By the end of the day, he was tied for second place individually with 138 strokes.
Behind Christiansen was Morton with two 71-stroke games in a row. His 142-stroke total tied him for fifth place, as well as marked his sixth straight round under par. Following Morton was Nummy, whose first game turned out an even-par 72 strokes. His second match of the day added another 71 to his end total of 143. Nummy tied for seventh place.
By the end of the first day of play, the Titans were leading the 14-school lineup with 576. Only one stroke behind was second-place Emory. Rounding out the Top Five were Wittenberg, Carnegie Mellon, and Greensboro.
But the Titans weren’t through yet. Entering the second day of the tournament, the Titans were ready to hold fast to their victory.
Morton and Christiansen led the pack once again, who both carded birdies in the third and final round of the tournament. Despite falling four strokes behind Emory throughout the match, the Titans pulled out two two-under holes. The Titans were squared up with Emory.
In order to fight for first, IWU and Emory entered a play five, count four playoff. Nummy, alongside junior Bobby Beaubien, finished out the playoff two-under to Emory’s even par.
The Titans saw three players in the Top Five out of nearly 70. Christiansen finished in third with a 54-hole total of 210, followed directly by Morton in fourth with 211 and Nummy in fifth with 213.
Wesleyan finished first out of 14, topping seven nationally-ranked teams. Directly behind IWU was Emory, Carnegie Mellon in third, Wittenberg in fourth and, finally, Washington and Lee rounding out the fifth spot.
Men’s golf will swing back into action from October 17-19 in the season closer at the Division III Golfweek Invitational hosted at Sandestin Golf Resort (Flo.).