Men tee-off at Prairie Fire Classic

by Ian Van Anden
Asst. Sports Editor

Monmouth College men’s golf team traveled to the Soangetaha Country Club in Galesburg, IL to compete in the Knox College Prairie Fire Classic. MC’s golfers split into two squads in the 10 team tournament. The Classic took place over two days starting Friday March 24 and ending Saturday March 25.

The first squad was made up of juniors Justin Martin, Lee Radford, Doug Middendorf, Nick Harwick, and senior Jeff Maleck. The second team was comprised of freshmen Jake Kilberg, Greg Jones, juniors Jeff Denny, Ian Wallace, and senior Mike Wilmoth.

The first team led by Martin finished third overall, as the second team nabbed a sixth place finish.

Martin shot 150 on the weekend with his best day being Saturday when he shot a team low 74. Martin finished sixth overall in the tournament. Radford also had an impressive Saturday as he also shot a team low 74. He struggled, however, on the first day only shooting an 81; Radford finished tied for 11th shooting a 155 overall.

Middendorf and Harwick finished only one shot apart shooting a 159 and 160 respectively. Middenforf finished tied for 15th in the Classic, as Harwikc brought home a tie for 17th.

Maleck the final member of the first team finished in a tie for 25th position shooting a 164 on the weekend. Maleck shot an 82 on both days of the Classic.

As for the second team they did not fair nearly as well. MC’s second set of five finished the weekend in 6th place overall. Kilberg was the team’s top performer as he finished tied with Harwick in 17th shooting a 160. Kilberg shot an 80 on both Friday and Saturday.

Denny finished in a tie for the 20th postion as his weekend was highlited by his first round on Friday where he shot a 78. Denny’s final score on the weekend was 162. Jones’ had his squads best round when he shot a 75 on Friday but then faltered on Saturday’s second round shooting an abysmal 88. Jones finished 22nd overall shooting a 163.

Wallace had a decent weekend as he shot an 88 on Friday and followed that round up on Saturday by shooting an 83. Wallace finished in a tie for 36th.

The golf team will take part in two upcoming invitationals. First on April 1 and 2 they will travel to the Meadows Golf Course in Asbury, IA to take part in Loras College Duhawk Spring Invitational. Then the men will return to the Soangetaha Country Club in

Galesburg, IL for a one day invite to compete in the Knox College Invitational.