Bulldogs in 10th after first GPAC Qualifier
ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The first men’s golf GPAC Qualifier teed off Thursday at Landsmeer Golf Club in Orange City, Iowa, where the Bulldogs struggled to a 10th-place finish. Concordia’s top golfer in sophomore Shawn Rodehorst again carded the team’s best individual score, this time with an 11-over-par 82.
The Bulldogs’ team total of 338 was 56 strokes off of round one leader Northwestern, the defending GPAC champion. Following Rodehorst for Concordia was junior Sam Defreece and freshman Mitchell Volk, who both turned in an 85. Freshmen Brock Colclasure and Sam Simonson rounded out the Bulldog five with scores of 86 and 87, respectively.
“Even though we played three freshmen, a sophomore, and a junior, our goal was much lower than the score we shot today,” head coach Brett Muller said. “Mitchell Volk did a great job on the back nine to improve by five shots. The back nine is the harder nine so that was good to see from him. As a team we need more consistency and complete rounds of golf. We cannot continue to play well for 10-12 holes and blow up on the others.”
The Red Raiders’ Jay Monahan shot the top individual round on Thursday, carding a four-under-par 67. All five Northwestern golfers concluded the day among the top 15 individuals at Landsmeer. Second-place Nebraska Wesleyan sits nine strokes behind the Red Raiders.
The young Bulldogs are still striving for greater consistency. Even the skilled Rodehorst had a tough day, surprisingly going eight-over-par on par-3s.
“Shawn has set high individual goals for himself, so he was disappointed after the round,” Muller said. “He knows if he plays well the last three qualifiers his goals are still intact.”
Concordia will look to shake off Thursday’s performance when it hits the course Tuesday and Wednesday at the Doane Invitational at Wilderness Ridge Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb. The women will be in action Sunday and Monday at the Nebraska Wesleyan Invite in Lincoln.
