For the second straight invitational in the 2023-24 season, the Hillsdale College men's golf team played its best round of the event last and moved up the leaderboard on Tuesday, placing fourth out of 14 teams at the Kyle Ryman Memorial Invite at the Mohawk Golf and Country Club in Tiffin, Ohio.
The Chargers shot an even-par 288, their best round of the season to date, in the final round to pass the Tiffin University B team and Ashland in the standings and move up two spots from sixth place. That 288 came on the heels of a first-round score of 290 and a second round mark of 293.
Leading the way for the Chargers was freshman Oliver Marshall, who shot a 70-73-71=214 to post his best-ever finish as a collegiate golfer by tying for eighth place. Marshall carded five birdies in the final round on Tuesday to cement his place in the top 10 after a strong start, part of 11 birdies on the weekend for the freshman.
Close behind was sophomore Maxwell Burns, who tied for 15th place for the Chargers with a one-over 217 for 54 holes, including a pair of 72s in the first and third rounds. Burns separated himself on the always-tricky par 3s, leading all players in the event by shooting a three-under on those holes.
Hillsdale also got big boosts for the invitational from the other two freshmen members of an exciting trio for the Chargers. Ryan O'Rourke tied for 18th overall, shooting a final round 71 after rounds of 73 and 74 to start to finish with a two-over 218, while Robert Thompson took advantage of multiple eagles over the course of the three rounds to ride out a roller-coaster weekend and finish with a solid 75-73-74=222 and tie for 32nd overall.
Junior Filippo Reale also carded an 80-74-81=235 to finish tied for 70th for the Chargers.
Along with the quintet playing as a team for Hillsdale in the Ryman Memorial, the Chargers brought several golfers to the nearby invitational to play as individuals. Junior Will Verduzco improved with each round and carded an 80-76-73=229 to finish tied for 52nd and lead Hillsdale's individual competitors, and senior Carson Stohler and junior Charlie Belden each tied for 58th with consistent rounds. Stohler shot a 76-76-78=230, and Belden carded a 77-77-76=230 as well.
Junior Chris Desfassiaux bounced back from a tough first round with some of his best golf as a Charger to tie for 64th with an 82-73-78=233 as well, and senior Gerry Jones Jr. tied for 76th with a 79-77-82=238 as well for Hillsdale.
While a fourth-place finish isn't as spectacular as Hillsdale's season-opening victory at the Malone-Glenmoor Invite in September, it's still a solid result overall that keeps the Chargers' goal of contending for a NCAA Super Regional berth at the end of the season in good shape. The Chargers will look to continue what's been a strong fall so far on Oct. 16 and 17, when Hillsdale travels to the Findlay Country Club in Findlay, Ohio for the Doc Spragg Invitational.
Photo by Emma Purdy