ST. CLOUD/SARTELL, Minn. – Senior
Isaac Schmidt recorded the lowest 36-hole tournament score for the St. Olaf College men's golf program in recent memory, as the Oles finished in a tie for sixth at the Saint John's Fall Invitational on Saturday and Sunday at St. Cloud Country Club and Blackberry Ridge Golf Club.
Schmidt was the tournament runner-up with a five-under score of 136, which is the lowest 36-hole score by an Ole since at least the 2009-10 season. As a team, St. Olaf posted its second-lowest 36-hole tournament score (593, +17) over that same period to finish in a three-way tie for sixth in the field that recorded five programs that were either ranked or received votes in this week's Bushnell/Golfweek Division III Coaches Poll.
Schmidt led the way for St. Olaf with rounds of 69 (-3) and 70 (-2) to finish three shots off the pace of Carleton College's Sam Higaki atop the leaderboard. The senior recorded 10 birdies on the weekend – the second-highest total in the field – with seven on Saturday and three more on Sunday. Schmidt ranked tied for second in the field in par-three scoring (-1, 2.88) and tied for sixth in par-four scoring (-1, 3.95), while shooting a four-under 32 on the back nine on Saturday and a three-under 33 on the front on Sunday.
Sophomores
Ryan Herbst and
Will Black were part of a four-way tie for 31st with matching scores of 149 (+5). Herbst fired rounds of 76 (+4) and 73 (+1) while tying for the tournament lead in par-five scoring (-5, 4.38). Black opened with an even-par 72 and finished with a five-over 75, while ranking tied for fifth in pars (25) and tied for eighth in par-three scoring (E, 3.00).
Junior
Quinn Nevell finished in a tie for 61st (156, +12) with consecutive rounds of 78 (+6). As a team, St. Olaf shot a 295 (+7) on Saturday and a 298 (+10) on Sunday, which were two of the team's top-four rounds of the season.
The Oles will head to Edinburgh USA in Brooklyn Park for the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Championships held Saturday through Monday, Sept. 27-29.
