Augustana Invitational results
Milan, IL – The Prairie Fire shot better in the second round after a difficult first day in chilly conditions at the Augustana Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
Knox ended the first round at Pinnacle Country Club in 20th place with a team score of 407. Junior James Fenner (East Peoria, IL, Metamora) led the way with an 86, shooting a 40 on the front nine followed by a 46. Sophomore Ben Schlotter (Chambersburg, PA, Cumberland Valley Christian) was next with a 96.
The Prairie Fire improved by 17 strokes in the second and final round, finishing at 390. The team’s 36-hole total of 797 was 20th overall in the standings.
Fenner shaved seven strokes off of his first round score with a 79 on Saturday, his lowest round of the young spring season. He finished with a 165 to pace Knox.
Schlotter followed his opening round 96 with a 102 in the second round and ended the tournament with a 198. Junior Mackinzie Champman (Sheffield, IL, Annawan) dropped eight strokes on day two to finish at 101 after shooting 109 in round one. Sophomore Matt Gordon (Elk Gove Village, IL, Elk Grove) carded rounds of 116 and 108 for the Prairie Fire.
Indian Hills Community College (IA) shot a sizzling 294 in the second round and finished first overall with a 593. Illinois Wesleyan University, the first round leader by three strokes over Indian Hills (296-299), shot a 304 in the second round to finish at 600 – seven strokes off the pace.
Carthage College (WI) finished a distant third with a score of 617, Illinois Wesleyan B was fourth at 623, and the University of Dubuque placed fifth in the team standings with a 632.
Illinois Wesleyan’s Gabe Aprati shot a 1-under 71 in the first round and led by one stroke over teammates Stephan Johnson and Alex Quenan (Illinois Wesleyan B) entering play on Saturday.
Aprati fired a 4-over 76 in the second round and finished tied for first place with William White of Indian Hills. White was three strokes back after a 74 on Friday and stayed in the hunt with a 73 on Friday to catch Aprati at 147 (+3).
Donnie Langland of Carthage, who climbed up the leaderboard with second round course low score of 71, finished one stroke back. Connor Peck of Indian Hills shot an even par 72 on Saturday and tied Langland for third place at 148.
The Knox golfers resume play on April 20 and 21 at the Blueboy Invitational. The tournament, less than two weeks before the start of the Midwest Conference Men’s Golf Championships, is at Piper Glen Golf Course in Springfield.
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