BETHANY, Okla.—The Southern Nazarene Men's Golf team competed in their final tournament ahead of the GAC Championships on Monday and Tuesday. They traveled to the Cypress Creek Golf Club in Cabot, Arkansas for the Natural State Golf Classic hosted by Harding University, where the Crimson Storm finished 8th out of 11 teams.
Golfers were treated to beautiful weather in Cabot with temperatures in the 60s and 70s. The great weather was a welcome site for players as they competed in the long 7,392 yard par-72. Four individuals shot even or better with Henderson State's Alex Hadden edging Southern Arkansas's Logan McDonald by one stroke at -2 for the individual title.
As a team, Henderson State ran away with the tournament. They finished 20 strokes up on second place Southern Arkansas after shooting 282 (-6) in the final round for a three-round total of 869 (+5).
As a team, SNU shot 960 (+56). They were fairly consistent as a team, shooting 309-305-306 over the three rounds. Unfortunately for SNU, their top player in the tournament, Zander Tway, was competing as an individual. He finished T-6 at 221 (+5). He was just one-over par in each of the final two rounds. Tway also eagled the par-5 18th hole in each of the first two rounds. He was the only player in the entire field with multiple eagles in the tournament.
As for the Crimson Storm lineup, Sam Schmidt once again led the way, finishing just outside the top-10. He tied for 11th in the field after moving up four spots from round two to round three. Schmidt shot a three round total of 224 (+8).
Dawson Dunlap came in a few strokes behind Schmidt at 228 (+12). He finished T-21 in the field. Dunlap led SNU with eight birdies in the tournament.
Luke Woods and Noah Kern followed Dunlap, finishing T-35 and T-44, respectively. Woods shot 234 (+18), while Kern was just three strokes behind at 237 (+21). Woods totaled 7 birdies across the three rounds.
Landon Hendrix rounded out the SNU lineup as he finished 53rd. He played well in rounds one and two, shooting an 82 followed by a 77, but could not keep up the pace, rounding out the tournament with an 87.
The Crimson Storm now turn their attention to the GAC Championships, which will take place next week in Hot Springs, Arkansas at the Hot Springs Country Club. SNU finished 8th in the GAC tournament last season. The Championships are set for April 23-25 with one round taking place each day.
