By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
MONKEY ISLAND, Okla. – Fort Hays State Men’s Golf wrapped up its 2020-21 season at the MIAA Championships, held at the Shangri-La Golf Club on Monday and Tuesday (Apr. 19-20). The Tigers finished eighth in the team standings and Colton Bobek and Bryce Cowan led the Tigers in a tie for 21st individually.
The Tigers started off strong on Monday, leading the tournament through the opening third of the first round. By the end of the first round, the Tigers were able to top two of the five ranked teams in the MIAA, shooting 303 to sit in fourth place. Bobek was in fifth individually after an even-par 72 and Chandler Roberts was one stroke of Bobek with a 1-over par 73. A 76 from Cowan and an 82 from Marcus Willey figured into the team scoring as well. The Tigers were in front of Rogers State and Missouri Western, the 45th and 30th ranked teams by Golfstat in NCAA Division II.
The teams began the second round of action on Monday afternoon. The Tigers shot 311 as a team, slipping to seventh in the standings. Rogers State vaulted from sixth to third by shooting even par as a team, while Missouri Western and Northeastern State had also slipped past FHSU. Bobek held pretty steady in the standings, leading the Tigers once again with a 2-over par 74. He was tied for sixth overall after the first day of competition at 2-over par overall. Bryce Cowan remained steady with another 76, while Roberts and Willey each shot 81.
Adverse conditions showed up on Tuesday morning with winter weather hitting the Midwest. Rain and snow pushed through the area as the teams battled the elements, which even halted the tournament for a couple hours. Unfortunately, the Tigers struggled in the final round to a team score of 335. They slipped to eighth in the standings, but still topped Lincoln and Newman. Cowan led the Tigers with an 81 in the final round, while Tanner Copeland shot 83, Roberts shot 84, and Bobek shot 87 to figure into the team score.
Bobek and Cowan each finished with a total of 233 at 17-over par overall, tying for 21st. Roberts was 36th with a total of 238, Willey tied for 48th at 250, and Copeland finished 50th with a 254.
Luke Palmowski of Rogers State shot 7-under par in the second round to sit at 8-under going into the final round on Tuesday. He led by six strokes heading into the final round and managed to extend his final margin of victory to seven, despite shooting 3-over par in the final round. He was the only golfer in the field to finish under par at 5-under overall.
Central Missouri won the tournament at 10-over par overall as a team, shooting 874. The Mules are ranked No. 7 in the nation according to Golfstat. They topped Washburn, ranked No. 18, by 10 strokes and Rogers State, ranked No. 45, by 29 strokes. Central Oklahoma (No. 50) and Missouri Western (No. 30) finished fourth and fifth respectively.
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