Chargers win Music City Invitational

Home Charger Golf Chargers win Music City Invitational
(John Quint | Courtesy)

In a tight finish, the Hillsdale College Chargers remained at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the 36-hole Music City Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday.

The Chargers won with a one-stroke margin, beating the University of Findlay with a five-under 570. 

Freshman Josh Davenport and senior Liam Purslowe led the team to victory as both finished under par and in the top five individually. Davenport was low medalist of the event, tied-first with Northwood University’s Jagger Richard at five-under-par. He shot a six-under 66 on Monday that was the second-lowest round of the day and then stayed consistent on Tuesday to remain at the top of the leaderboard. 

“We’ve always known that we can beat these guys. Getting an overall win against everyone — it was the first time in program history we’ve beat Grand Valley — so that just proves we can compete with the best teams out there on a weekly basis,” Purslowe said. “That just gives us so much more confidence, knowing you’re going to be competing.”

Coming off a back injury last week, Purslowe had a commanding performance that placed him at fourth overall and four-under-par. 

“I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t play, I could hardly move,” he said. “I just spent the whole week trying to prepare, trying to get myself back to being able to walk and play. If someone had said at the start of the week I’d be four-under, I definitely would have taken it.”

More than just take it, the Chargers competed against the field in the way coach Nate Gilchrist believes they always had the potential to, according to Purslowe.

“You’re playing with some of the best guys in the nation. It just proves that you can go toe-to-toe with them, and it helps fulfill that belief that we’ve always had,” he said. “[Gilchrist] always says, ‘We’ve got the skills to be up there with these guys,’ and it’s just so much better to see that on a results sheet.”