Northwestern men’s golf finished second at its home spring match-play event, the Red Raider Cup, played Wednesday at the Landsmeer Golf Club in Orange City, Iowa.
The Red Raiders lost to Morningside in the championship match, 4-1, with Tyler Merley scoring the only point with a 4 & 3 win over Torben Boerger. Caleb Badura (6 & 5), Austin Reitz (3 & 2), Isaac Knock (4 & 3) and Jake Olsen (2 & 1) all lost in tight matches.
The day began with all eight varsity and all eight junior varsity teams playing 18 holes of stroke play in the morning. Teams were then placed in match-play format based on their finish in the AM.
Northwestern shot a 283 (-1), second only to the Mustangs who blistered the course with a 275 (-9). The 283 matches the ninth best score in program history (2012 – Siouxland Invite). Reitz fired a one-under 70 and tied for eighth in the morning session. All four other varsity players, Badura, Merley, Knock and Olsen, shot an even-par 71.
The Red Raider junior varsity shot a 303 and placed eighth in the morning session. Ryan Van Ostrand (73) and Ryan Vaden (74) were the top golfers; the JV group then lost to Morningside 5-0 in the title match in the junior varsity bracket.
Northwestern’s third team carded a 327 and defeated Dordt’s JV 4 1/2 – 1/2 for seventh place in the JV bracket. Dana Van Ostrand carded the low round with a 77 and tied for 40th place.
