The Hillsdale College golf team spent the weekend playing in the Kyle Ryman Memorial tournament, hosted by Tiffin University on Oct. 3-4.
Freshman Andy Grayson led the team through the weather on day one, carding an 80, and on day two, sophomore John Burke went low for the team with a career-best round of 75.
Freshman Andrew Berryhill scored a 166, and sophomore team captains Steve Sartores and Joe Torres both shot tournament scores of 164. Sophomores Ben Meola and John Duffy shot 162 and 167, respectively. Senior Patrick Nalepa finished with a 176. Meola, Duffy and Nalepa represented the Chargers as individual players in the tournament.
The Chargers placed 8th overall with a team score of 641, just one shot behind Saginaw Valley State.
Posting a sub-600 score of 595, Tiffin University won the tournament.
The Chargers battled against difficult weather throughout Saturday’s round.
“It was about 50 degrees and windy and rainy,” head coach Nathan Gilchrist said. “But we have to be mentally tougher, because everyone’s weather was the same.”
Grayson explained how the rain affects play.
“The ball wasn’t going as far as you’re used to, so you had to adjust and hit it solid,” he said.
Grayson found the wind to be worse than the rain, however.
“On a 200-yard par three, I had to hit a 230-yard shot to get it to the green,” he said.
Conditions on the second day were perfect to play the park course.
“The course had small and fast greens, so short game was definitely important,” Burke said. “That helped me because my strength is putting.”
The Chargers have a two-week break before they head to Nashville, Tennessee, on Oct. 25 for the Trevecca Nazarene tournament, their last tournament of the season.
“Over the next two weeks we will have some qualifying rounds to establish the lineup for the next tournament and get back to practicing the fundamentals. That will help us to be more consistent on the golf course in terms of performance,” Gilchrist said.
Grayson said he will be spending that time focusing on his wedges.
“That’s where the team needs to get better,” he said.
“We struggled a bit in this tournament,” Gilchrist said. “But all of our players are getting better and we’ve established a competitive culture, which helps everyone.”
Grayson finds this to be true of collegiate golf in general.
“Everyone you play with is going to be good. It is challenging, but that motivates you to pick up your game.”