ROBINSON, Ill. – The Vincennes University Golf team got their 2024 Fall season started off in a big way Friday by winning the 36-hole, one day 2024 Lincoln Trail College Fall Invitational at Quail Creek Country Club.
The Blazers took the top spot in the four-team field, posting a two-round team total of 600 with a 305 first round and a very impressive 295 second round.
Vincennes had four golfers place in the top five on the individual leaderboard, led by freshman Brock Naile (Trico, Ill.) who placed second overall in his collegiate debut after posting a first round 75 and an even par 72 in round two for a tournament total of 147.
Freshman Landon Gardner (Danville, Ind.) followed Naile with a very consistent tournament, posting a final of three-over 75 in both rounds to place third overall in his first collegiate tournament.
Freshman Kadin Gibson (Franklin, Ind.), also making his collegiate debut, had the biggest round-to-round improvement for the Blazers, posting a first round 78 before bouncing back with a one-over par 73 in round two to climb the leaderboard to place fourth overall.
Sophomore Alex Nealis (Olney, Ill.) rounded out the VU top five finishers, posting an opening round 77 and coming back in the afternoon round with a 75 to finish with a tournament total of 152 to place in a tie for fifth place on the leaderboard.
The Vincennes University day on the course was rounded out by a top 10 finish by freshman Parker Steininger (Vincennes, Ind.) who, in his first college tournament, finished with a first round 80 and a second round 79 to finish in a tie for 10th overall.
“We had a great outing winning our first event,” VU Hall of Fame Golf Coach Dennis Chattin said. “Quail Creek is a really good test for our first outing and shooting 305-295 was really good for this early. This course has a 72.6 rating and a 135 slope, so it isn’t a pushover course.”
“The greens were a little slower than we were used to but the guys seemed to adjust quickly,” Chattin added. “I tell them good players adjust, great players adjust quickly.”
“Brock Naile shooting 75, 72 in his first college event was very good,” Chattin said. “He is a competitor and had it under in the second round for a while but he still had the low second round and finished runner-up in the tournament.”
“We had four guys in the top five of the tournament, so the consistency of scores is a really big deal,” Chattin added. “That’ how you have a good team. I’m excited about the good start, so I just hope we can build on that.”
The Trailblazers will look to keep the early season momentum going when the Blazers hit the course in their next tournament Saturday, Sept. 7 and Sunday, Sept. 8 at the Vincennes University Fall Invitational at Cypress Hills Golf Club in Vincennes.
