ALLENDALE, Mich. – Saginaw Valley State University men's golf team kicked off its fall competition at the Midwest/Central Regional Preview hosted by Grand Valley State. The three-round tournament took place at The Meadows Golf Course on Monday, September 14, and Tuesday, September 15.
The Cardinals finished seventh out of 18 teams with a total of 883 (+31) after carding rounds of 292 (+8), 288 (+4), and 303 (+19).
Evan Klein (Guelph, Ontario, Bishop Macdonell HS) led the Cardinals, shooting 209 (-4) over three rounds to finish second out of 108 golfers. He recorded rounds of 72 (+1), 66 (-5), and 71 (E) with 12 birdies and an eagle. Klein's second-round 66 was the lowest round of the tournament.
Justin Steinman followed with the second-best score on the team in his first collegiate tournament, carding two rounds of 73 (+2) and a final round of 79 (+8) for a total of 225 (+12). He totaled nine birdies over the three rounds.
Matthew Murdock also made his collegiate debut, finishing one stroke behind Steinman. He shot 76 (+5), 74 (+3), and 76 (+5) for a total of 226 (+13).
Tony Spicuzza (Grandville, Mich., Grandville HS) and Garrett Morrison (Flushing, Mich., Flushing HS) rounded out the Cardinal lineup, shooting 228 (+15) and 236 (+23), respectively. Spicuzza opened the tournament with a 70 (-1) that included three birdies before rounds of 75 (+4) and 83 (+12). Morrison sandwiched a second-round 80 (+9) between two rounds of 78 (+7).
Owen Halstead competed individually in his first collegiate tournament and shot 232 (+19). Halstead opened with an 81 (+10) before improving by nine strokes in Monday's second round with a 72 (+1). He concluded the tournament with a 79 (+8).
The Cardinals recorded the fourth-most pars in the field with 155 and carded 38 birdies, the seventh-most. They also recorded the third-fewest bogeys with 59.
Klein and Murdock tied for seventh overall on par threes, averaging 3.08 (+1) strokes per hole. Klein was also one stroke over par on par fours, tying for eighth with a 4.03 average, and tied for second on par fives with an average of 4.33 (-6). His 12 birdies also tied for the third-most in the field.
Up Next: SVSU men's golf has next week off before heading to Peru, Indiana, for the Midwest Collegiate tournament hosted by Missouri-St. Louis. The two-day tournament begins Monday, September 28, and concludes Tuesday, September 29, at Rock Hollow Golf Club.
