The Hillsdale College men's golf team was one of the youngest in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference this season, with three freshmen in its five-player lineup for every meet this season.
And it was that trio of impressive freshmen who led Hillsdale to a solid finish in medal play Tuesday at the 2024 G-MAC Championships at The Pearl Club in Owensboro, Kentucky.
The Chargers tied for fifth in a crowded leaderboard with a three-round score of 893, even with Northwood and 10 strokes back of fourth-place Ohio Dominican. Host Kentucky Wesleyan and Findlay finished 1-2 and advanced to the match play round on Wednesday to determine the conference champion.
Hillsdale did so with three solid scores from freshmen Robert Thompson, Oliver Marshall and Ryan O'Rourke, who all placed in the top 20 in the event. Thompson led the way with a one-over par 76-70-71=217, playing back-to-back rounds under par to charge up the leaderboard and earn All-G-MAC honors with an eighth place finish in his first season with the program.
In an impressive performance, Thompson made six birdies and an eagle on No. 14 in the final two rounds to go from 32nd to eighth in the standings, and become the only freshman to finish in the top 10 in an event otherwise dominated by fourth and fifth-year collegiate golfers. The North Carolina native did so with strong play on Par 3s, tying for the best score on Par 3 holes among all players in the championship at one-over, and also getting strokes back on Par 5s, finishing in the top 10 among all players competing with a four-under mark on those holes.
Teammate Oliver Marshall wasn't far behind, firing a 73-72-75=220 to tie for 13th overall. Marshall had the third-most pars of any player in the championship with 37, and his steady play paid off with a solid performance in his first G-MAC Championship appearance. The third of Hillsdale's three freshmen, Ryan O'Rourke, also displayed consistency throughout the weekend, shooting 75-74-76 to finish tied for 19th and in the top 20 as well.
Competing in their final G-MAC Championships, seniors Gerry Jones, Jr. and Carson Stohler also contributed to the Chargers' effort. Jones, Jr. shot a 77-77-80-234 to tie for 43rd for Hillsdale, while Stohler finished one stroke back, with a 74-78-83=235 to finish tied for 45th.
With its time in the G-MAC Championships finished, Hillsdale now awaits the announcement of the NCAA DII Men's Golf Super Regional fields on April 26 to find out if the team or any individuals have qualified to play in the Central/Midwest Super Regional to be hosted by Southern Nazarene University at the KickingBird Golf Club in Edmond, Oklahoma on May 9-11. The top 10 teams in the Midwest Region in the final NCAA Regional Rankings, along with the top four individuals not on qualifying teams, will advance to the Super Regional round.
Photo Courtesy of Kentucky Wesleyan Athletics