Eagles excel in OVC Championship

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Golf pushed its way to a third-place team finish out of nine teams and 48 competitors at the Ohio Valley Conference Championship at the Dalhousie Country Club. The Screaming Eagles qualified for match play before being taken down, 4-1, by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Wednesday morning. Sophomore Jason Bannister (Laguna Niguel, California) was one of five athletes named to the All-Tournament team after placing second individually.
 
The opening round had the Eagles in fourth place after shooting 297 (+19). Bannister quickly took the reins for USI, shooting one under par, and was in a tie for fifth going into the second day. Senior All-OVC selection Zach Williams (Mt. Vernon, Illinois) shot close behind with a 73 (+1) to rest in a tie for 12th.
 
The Eagles were red hot in the second round, shooting 289 with only two players going over par. Bannister, Williams, and freshman Carter Goebel (Breese, Illinois) each marked a 72 to provide USI with some insurance and propel up to third place. Junior Trevor Laub (Edwardsville, Illinois) subbed in after not competing in the opening round and scored a smooth 73 on day two.
 
Round three was similar for the Eagles as the group shot 288 and took the sole position of third place to qualify for match play. Bannister went on a tear on day three, matching the 18-round low in USI history (67) and worked his way to second overall in individual play by going six under par. Williams also went under par, shooting 71 and placing eighth individually by shooting at par. Goebel was the only other Eagle to place, standing in a tie for 18th.
 
With the third-place finish, USI was invited to match play to face SIUE head-to-head for a chance to make the OVC Championship round. The Eagles were downed by the Cougars in head-to-head play, 4-1-0, with Bannister going one-up on his opponent.
 
University of Arkansas at Little Rock was crowned OVC Champion after winning the three-round stroke play with an 840 (-24) and defeating Lindenwood University (4-0-1) and SIUE (4-0-1) in match play. Little Rock’s Anton Albers was the individual champion after a three-round score of 205 (-11).