BEATRICE, Neb. – In his last hurrah in a conference tournament, Drew D’Ercole found himself tied atop the individual leaderboard through the first round. D’Ercole’s three-under-par 69 emerged as the highlight of Monday (April 29) action for Concordia University Men’s Golf at on the opening day of the 2024 GPAC Men’s Golf Championships. D’Ercole will enter the tournament’s final round five strokes out of the lead in a field of more than 50 conference competitors that have gathered at Beatrice Country Club in Beatrice, Neb.
Collectively, Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad shot 303-314–617 on Monday and sits in 10th place with 36 of 54 GPAC tournament holes complete. When play resumes on Tuesday, the Bulldogs will attempt to hunt down the likes of Dakota Wesleyan (sixth), Hastings (t-seventh), Briar Cliff (t-seventh) and Mount Marty (ninth). Concordia placed fifth in the GPAC last season with a total of 296-307-296–899.
The Papillion, Neb., native D’Ercole is looking to improve upon his GPAC placement of 16th a year ago. His 69 represented the lowest conference round turned in during Muller’s tenure that began with the 2011-12 season. D’Ercole then shot a 77 in round two and resides in a tie for fourth place on the GPAC leaderboard. Among recent Concordia Golf standouts, Nolan Zikas shot a 70 in the GPAC’s fourth round of the 2015-16 season and in the first round during the 2017-18 season. Going back farther, Shawn Rodehorst carded a 70 in conference round No. 4 of the 2012-13 campaign. D’Ercole also shot a 70 in the spring of 2021 at the GPAC tournament.
The next lowest score for a Bulldog on Monday in Beatrice was supplied by freshman Jacob Dowd, who shot 75 in round two. He landed in a tie for 24th (79-75–154) by the time the dust settled on Monday. Dowd was followed in the lineup by juniors Jake Hagerbaumer (76-79–155; T-31st) and Justin Webert (79-83–162; 48th) and sophomore Brock Rogers (79-88–167; 50th). Hagerbaumer and Webert are returners to the conference lineup along with D’Ercole.
Bulldog scores through two rounds of GPAC Golf:
TEAM: 303-314–617 (10th)
T4. Drew D’Ercole: 69-77–146
T24. Jacob Dowd: 79-75–154
T31. Jake Hagerbaumer: 76-79–155
48. Justin Webert: 79-83–162
50. Brock Rogers: 79-88–167
The third and final round of the 2024 GPAC Championships is set to get underway at 9 a.m. CT on Tuesday from Beatrice Country Club. Live results will continue to populate in the Golf Genius app (Golf Genius ID of 24MGPAC).