By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
WICHITA, Kan. – Fort Hays State Men’s Golf, which received votes in the latest national poll, turned in another strong performance by taking the team title at the Newman Invitational in come-from-behind fashion. The Tigers were in third place after day one, 10 strokes back of the lead, but surged to a one-stroke win on day two of the tournament. Cooper Scheck of FHSU took medalist honors by winning a three-way playoff. The event was held at Terradyne Country Club, October 14-15.
Newman led the tournament after round one, shooting 1-under par (283) as a team. That gave the Jets an eight-stroke cushion over Northeastern State, which carded a 291 in the first round, and a 10-stroke advantage over Fort Hays State, which shot 293 in the opening round.
Newman struggled mightily on day two in comparison to its first-round success, which allowed Fort Hays State and Northeastern State back into the team title race on Tuesday. Though scoring conditions were tougher for the entire field on day two, Fort Hays State put up the best total and it was enough to inch past both Newman and Northeastern State. The Tigers shot 302 as a team in the second round, nine strokes better than Newman’s 313, to defeat the Jets by one stroke. Northeastern State shot 307 on day two and finished three stokes back of FHSU. The Tigers won the tournament with a total of 595, with the Jets (596) and RiverHawks (598) joining as the three schools to shoot under 600 overall.
The individual title was a thrilling finish as well with three players tying for first at 3-under par overall. Cooper Scheck of Fort Hays State emerged victorious as the individual medalist in the 3-man playoff, taking two holes to claim the title. Scheck and Grant Delsart of Newman each carded a 5 on the first playoff hole, while Mathieu Zerwin of Northwestern Oklahoma State was eliminated with a 6. On the second playoff hole, Scheck was one stroke better than Delsart for his first individual tournament title at Fort Hays State and his fourth-straight Top 10 finish of the fall.
Scheck had to create a rally just to get into position for the individual medalist playoff. He did it at the par-5 17th hole with an eagle 3 to move from 1-under to 3-under overall. He carded par on the final hole to finish 4-under par for the day with a second-round 67. He had four birdies and the eagle in the round to counter two bogeys, and he was bogey-free on the final 10 holes of the day. Scheck shot 72 (+1) in the first round, a round that included three birdies, before his second-day charge.
Zerwin of NWOSU charged hard on his final five holes, stringing birdie-par-birdie-eagle-par (-4) to go from 1-over to 3-under and into the playoff. Delsart of Newman went from even to 3-under over the final five holes with a sequence of eagle-par-bogey-birdie-birdie to get into the playoff. Scheck, Zerwin, and Delsart were the only three players in the field to finish under par overall.
Cole Streck was consistent over his two rounds, shooting 74 (+3) each day for a 148 (+6) total. He tied for seventh and had five birdies in the tournament. Jacob George placed 12th with rounds of 70 (-1) and 80 (+9) for a 150 (+8). He had six birdies in the tournament, including five in the first round. Parker Krob tied for 27thwith a 158 total after rounds of 77 and 81. Jackson Rader tied for 38th at 161 with rounds of 80 and 81.
The Tigers also took four members of the team who played as individuals in the event and two turned in top-10 finishes. In his first tournament of the fall, Jordan McCaslin shot 3-over par overall to finish alone in fourth place individually. He shot 70 (-1) and 75 (+4) to finish six strokes back of the three-way tie at the top. He had four birdies in the first round and 25 pars overall. Ashton Dowell tied fellow teammate Streck for seventh individually, matching the scores posted by Streck with 74 (+3) in each round. Dowell had five birdies and one eagle in the tournament. Tyler Cassaday (47th – 173) and Ben Deges (178 – 50th) also competed as individuals. Cassaday had rounds of 80 and 93, while Deges had rounds of 86 and 92.
FHSU topped four MIAA schools participating in the tournament, which also included Pittsburg State in fourth to give the conference a first-through-fourth sweep in team scores at the top.
The team win was the first for Fort Hays State in a tournament since 2021 when the Tigers won the Bethel Spring Invitational held in Hesston and Newton, Kansas at Hesston Golf Course and Sand Creek Station Golf Course. Scheck was the first Tiger to earn medalist honors in a tournament since Bryce Cowan, who tied for medalist honors in that same Bethel Spring Invitational in 2021.
The Tigers head to Topeka, Kansas next week for the Washburn Invitational. The tournament is set to take place at the Topeka Country Club October 21-22.
Women
WICHITA, Kan. – Fort Hays State women’s golf secured a fourth-place finish at the 2024 Newman Invitational, held October 14-15 at Terradyne Country Club. The Tigers posted rounds of 320 and 348, finishing the tournament with a total score of 568.
Madison Kerr was the top Tiger finisher overall in eighth place. She started strong as well, finishing round one with a 7-over-par 78, which had her in eighth place. She maintained that position on day two, carding a 12-over-par 83. She had a total of 161 (+19) for the tournament, only six strokes back of the individual medalist. Kerr had four birdies in the tournament.
Shayla Nordlund displayed improvement after an 84 in the first round. She shaved four strokes in the second round with an 80, finishing in a tie for 14th at 22-over-par.
Kiley Maier led the Tigers in the first round with a 6-over-par 77. However, Maier faced challenges in the second round, shooting a 96. She was 25th overall with a total of 173.
Abbie Norris and Hayden York each tied for 28thindividually with a 176 total. Norris shot rounds of 87 and 89, while York shot rounds of 83 and 93. Avery Blasiwas one stroke back of Norris and York at 177, shooting rounds of 81 and 96 to finish 30th. Emma Walz carded rounds of 98 and 90 to finish in 36th. Both York and Walz played as individuals in the tournament, while Norris and Blasi figured into team scoring.
Northeastern State claimed the team title in the seven-team field with rounds of 317 and 315, finishing the tournament at 632 (+64). Jessica Parker of NSU earned individual medalist honors, shooting 77 and 78 for a 155 total (+13).
The Tigers will return to action in two weeks when they head to Tulsa, Okla. to compete in the Tulsa Cup on October 28-29 at The Club at Forest Ridge.
FHSU Results
Fort Hays State – 320 – 348 — 668 (+100) – 4th Place
8th – Madison Kerr – 78 – 83 — 161 (+19)
T-14th – Shayla Nordlund – 84 – 80 — 164 (+22)
25th – Kiley Maier – 77 – 96 — 173 (+31)
T-28th – Abbie Norris – 87 – 89 — 176 (+34)
30th – Avery Blasi – 81 – 96 — 177 (+35)
Individuals
T-28th – Hayden York – 83 – 93 — 176 (+34)
36th – Emma Walz – 98 – 90 – 188 (+46)