[Men's Golf] ONU begins with fifth place finish at CCAC Cup

HOMEWOOD, Ill. —Three days shy from exactly a year ago the Olivet Nazarene University men's golf team won its first invite of the 2016-17 season. To open the 2017-18 season the Tigers entered the CCAC Cup hosted by Holy Cross College (Ind.) on Monday and Tuesday, August 28-29 looking to repeat that performance. Yet, after the first round of play the Tigers sat in fourth place and after 36 holes finished in fifth place after playing a very tough course.

A total of 39 golfers played in the 36-hole, two-day event at the par-70, 6281-yard course, Ravisloe Country Club. ONU finished fifth overall with a team score of 606 (306-300, +46). Holy Cross College (Ind.) won the event shooting a 589 (283-306, +29).  Indiana-South Bend came in second with a score of 594 (290-304, +34), University of St. Francis (Ill.) finished third with a 596 (287-309, +36) and Governors State University (Ill.) came in fourth with a 604 (308-296, +44).

Now in his junior season, Matt Winkelmann (JR/Wheaton, Ill.) started the 2017-18 season where he left off last year. He led the Tigers with a third-place finish overall. He shot a 147 (76-71, +7). Jake Butterfield (SO/Horton, Mich.) was two strokes behind him with a score of 149 (75-74, +9), to finish tied for eighth. Kyle Dwyer (SR/Bourbonnais, Ill.) came in tied for 16th with a 153 (76-77, +13) and Jake Tuttle (JR/Hampshire, Ill.) tied with him with a 153 (79-74, +13). Justin Bowman (JR/Indianapolis, Ind.) (81-78) and Zack Thorson (SR/Philo, Ill.) (79-80) each shot a 159 (+19) to finish tied for 28th and Mitch Peterson (SO/Rockford, Ill.) came in 34th with a 165 (85-80, +25).

The Tigers will compete in the Olivet Nazarene University Fall Invite at the Kankakee Elks Country Club. The event will be played on Friday and Saturday, September 8-9.