[Men's Golf] Tigers place fifth at CCAC Championships; Winkelmann takes third

SILVIS, Ill. —The CCAC Championships on Monday and Tuesday marked the culmination of the season for the Olivet Nazarene University men's golf team.  The Tigers put together one of the better years for the program in recent history and were looking to make it even better with a good showing at TPC Deere Run. OIivet finished in sixth place after 18 holes, 20 strokes behind the two-time defending champions Cardinal Stritch. They shot two strokes better on day two and moved up to fifth place but it wouldn't be enough to move on to the NAIA national stage.

A total of 67 golfers played in the 36-hole, two-day event at the par-71, 6538-yard course, TPC Deere Run that hosts the John Deere Classic each summer as part of the PGA Tour. ONU finished fifth overall with a team score of 630 (316-313, +62). Cardinal Stritch University (Wis.) won the title shooting a 594 (294-300, +26).  St. Ambrose University (Iowa) came in second with a score of 616 (312-304, +48), Holy Cross College (Ind.) came in third with a 620 (314-306, +52) and University of St. Francis (Ill.) came in fourth with a 627 (310-317, +59).

Olivet Nazarene had one in the top five and it was a familiar name, Matt Winkelmann (SO/Wheaton, Ill.). Winkelmann shot a team-best two-day score of 149 (77-72, +7), finishing tied for third. His second-day score of 72 (+1) tied for the best score of the day. Luke Lambert (SR/Crown Point, Ind.) and Jake Butterfield (FR/Horton, Mich.) each finished tied for 21st after shooting scores of 159 (+17). Lambert shot a 77 on day one and 82 on day two. Butterfield recorded a 79 on day one and 80 on day two. Cole Evenson (SR/Princeton, Ill.) came in tied for 34th with a 163 (83-80, +21) and Jordan Spay (SR/Bettendorf, Iowa) finished tied for 49th with a two-day score of 172 (83-89, +30).

The Tigers season is now complete as well as the careers of seniors Luke Lambert, Cole Evenson and Jordan Spay.