LIGONIER, Pa. – Headlined by a top team placement by
Gavin Peach (Charlotte, N.C.), the No. 19 nationally-ranked Guilford College men's golf team ranked out 16th at the Tartan Invitational, hosted by Carnegie Mellon University on Monday through Tuesday at Laurel Valley Golf Club.
It was a brisk morning each day while warming up as the Quakers got ready to kickoff their opening October match on their fall-slate. The nation's best would gather at Laurel Valley, just southeast of Pittsburgh, for a clash of 36 holes on day one and 18 holes on day two at one of the more difficult course layouts, as No. 4 nationally-ranked Carnegie Mellon University would capture the lone under-par team score on day two at 286 (-2). No. 6 nationally-ranked Huntingdon College obtained the victory after logging an 886 (+22) after the final 18 holes, just inching past No. 5 nationally-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University and No. 23 nationally-ranked University of Rochester, who both recorded a team score of 889 (+25) respectively. Carnegie Mellon University's Joshua Weng, would claim individual medalist, resulting in a three round total of 216 (E) after 54 holes of play. The Quakers were not able to climb up to the top against other ODAC foes competing alongside them with No. 8 Washington & Lee University leading the charge in the conference posting a three round total of 904 (+40), placing in 6th. Hampden-Sydney College and No. 18 nationally-ranked University of Lynchburg would follow-suit tallying a team score of 908 (+44) and 911 (+47), placing T7th and T9th respectively. Guilford would wrap up their tournament in 16th place, firing a team score of 954 (+90) overall.
Peach would finish round one soundly as he would stand as the lone Quaker round sub-80, at 79 (+7), on the back of a stretch of pars as well as a birdie on the par-5 18th. He would get off to a fast start on the second 18 holes in the afternoon as he would birdie his opening hole on the par-4 10th, along with additional birdies on the par-5 18th and the par-5 3rd to mark back-to-back round at sub-80, marking out at 77 (+5) at the conclusion of day one. Peach would falter-slightly on day-two after a stretch of bogeys along with a double-bogey on the par-4, logging a 80 (+8) in the final round. Peach would place at 71st in the field after firing a 236 (+20) overall in the tournament.
Luke Wise (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) had consistency and rose up from improvement throughout all three rounds of play. Round one for Wise started off rocky as he would mark two double-bogies on the card followed by two birdies to record an opening 80 (+8). Wise would not see a stable par run in the afternoon after having more bogies to pars on the card, but with no large numbers on his score, Wise would mark a smooth 80 (+8) in round two. Wise would rise to the occasion on day two with birdies on the par-4 4th and the par-4 15th, leading to a 78 (+6) in round three. Wise would place 75th after recording a 238 (+22) in the match.
Andrew Perry (Fuquay Varina, N.C.) had an up-and-down performance throughout all three performances. Perry would have a strong-showing after his par-run on the front nine, marking an 81 (+9) on the round. A string of bogies and a double-bogey on both sides of the course would be the cause of his worst round in two days at an 83 (+11). Perry would open round three as the best 18-hole performance by Guilford in the tournament, logging a 75 (+3) on the back of three birdies on the round, driving himself up in the ranks to 76th after scoring a 239 (+23) overall.
Braeden Gillen (Holly Springs, N.C.) would have a significant growth from start to finish throughout both days of the match. Gillen would begin very unsteady after starting seven-over in his first five holes on the front nine of round one, leading to his 84 (+12) finish. Round two in the afternoon would be more successful for Gillen, driving him to a 79 (+7) mark on the basis of his three birdies on the afternoon slate. He would finish strong in round three as well, providing a similar showing to the second-18 on day one with his 79 (+7), finishing the tournament with a 242 (+26), placing him at 83rd respectively.
Lucas Falcone (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) would only count his score one time in the tournament during round two for the Quakers. Falcone did not rise to the occasion after shooting an 84 (+12) in round one and three in the match. Falcone's 82 (+10) on day two was driven off the back of his eagle on the par-4 15th along with two birdies, driving him to a 250 (+34), ranking him at 86th overall.
The Quakers will wrap up their fall-slate at home as the host school in the O'Briant Jensen Memorial being played Monday, October 27th, through Tuesday, October 28th at The Cardinal by Pete Dye in Greensboro, N.C.
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