The Wilson Post
LEBANON WEATHER

GOLF: CU places 10th in NAIA Nationals




SILVIS, IL - From left: Adrian Steeger, Bryson Smith, Isaac Walker, Tomi Acotto, Will Samuelsson, and Reece GaddesNAIA photo

SILVIS, IL – From left: Adrian Steeger, Bryson Smith, Isaac Walker, Tomi Acotto, Will Samuelsson, and Reece GaddesNAIA photo

Best finish in program history –

SILVIS, IL – The Cumberland University men’s golf team shot a 302 in Friday’s final round to finish with 1197 after four rounds to claim 10th place — the highest finish in program history in the 69th annual NAIA Men’s Golf National Championships at TPC Deere Run.

Junior Reece Gaddes fired his best round of the tournament Friday shooting a 72. A graduate of Wilson Central High, Gaddes started his day with a birdie, picked up a bogey on No. 2, and a birdie at No. 4.

He one-under on the front. He picked up three birdies on the back at No. 10, No. 12, and No. 17, but two bogeys and a double-bogey carded him the one-over-par round.

Freshman Isaac Walker finished his final round with a 76. He carded two bogeys and one birdie on the front nine for a one-over nine holes.

On the back nine, he posted three bogeys, one double bogey, and a birdie on No. 17 for the five-over. Walker, a product of DeKalb County High School, shot a 296 during the four days to lead the Phoenix and finish tied for 28th.

Sophomore Adrian Steeger started his day with three pars, but bogeys on No. 4, No. 7, and No. 8 led him to three-over through the front. Steeger could not get any strokes back on the back nine with two more bogeys and a double bogey on No. 18. Steeger, who hails from Germany, posted a 299 over the tournament three strokes behind Walker for a 28th place finish.

Bryson Smith, a junior from Macon County High, struggled to open the round posting five bogeys and one birdie through the first six holes. He settled in to close the front nine with three straight pars. After a par on No. 10, Smith bogeyed No. 11 before getting that stroke back with a birdie on No. 12, but bogeyed No. 16 for a one-over back nine and seven-over 78. Smith finished with a 301 on the tournament.

Freshman Will Samuelsson also started slowly with a bogey on No. 1 and a double bogey on No. 2, but would par the next six holes before a bogey on No. 9 to close the front. On the back, he fired a birdie on a No. 10 before two pars, but a string of three straight bogeys on No. 13, 14, and 15 hurt his score. Samuelsson, from Sweden, would birdie the final hole to finish at 76.

Dalton State edged defending national champions Texas Wesleyan by one stroke to claim the national title.

Keiser took third place five strokes back and Point University finished in fourth six strokes behind. The Phoenix were 26 shots behind the national champions.

INDIVIDUAL SCORES

t28.Isaac Walker – 77-73-70-76 = 296

t39. Adrian Steeger – 76-73-72-78 = 299

t44. Bryson Smith – 77-75-71-78 = 301

90. Will Samuelsson – 74-80-76 = 230

92. Reece Gaddes – 89-75-72 = 236

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