Final results

Normal, IL – The Prairie Fire finished in the same position they ended the first round in at the Illinois Wesleyan Invitational on Saturday.

Knox shot an opening round 370 on Friday and was looking to move up from 25th place in the team standings during the second and final round.  Unfortunately for the Prairie Fire, that didn’t happen.

Knox followed with a second round score of 383 to finish at 753 and in 25th place ahead of Blackburn College (848).  Robert Morris University (IL) wrapped up the tournament eight strokes ahead of Knox in 24th place.

The team champion was decided by a tiebreaker.  Host Illinois Wesleyan and Wheaton College both shot 611.  Wesleyan won the tiebreaker – and the tournament – based on the fifth player’s score (158 for IWU and 168 for WC).  First round leader Wittenberg University (612) was just one stroke back and finished third, Millikin University (613) was two strokes off the pace and placed fourth, and Carthage College (623) moved up from a sixth place tie after the first round to wind up in fifth place.

The individual tournament champion was Austin Craig of the Illinois Wesleyan JV squad, who fired a 5-over par 149.  Two other golfers were one stroke back and tied for second place.

Junior James Fenner (East Peoria, IL, Metamora) led Knox with a 167 after carding rounds of 83 and 84.  Sophomore Ben Schlotter (Chambersburg, PA, Cumberland Valley Christian) was next for the Prairie Fire with a 180, followed by sophomore Matt Gordon (Elk Gove Village, IL, Elk Grove) at 199 and junior Mackinzie Champman (Sheffield, IL, Annawan) at 207.

Knox travels to the Quad Cities to take part in the Augustana Invitational on April 12 and 13 at Pinnacle Country Club in Milan.

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