Tigers Break Through For Title At Loaded Gordin Classic

Competing in a 12-team field that included 11 of the top 19 teams in the NCAA Division III national poll, Wittenberg captured a two-stroke victory.

Alex Andrews earned medalist honors as the Tigers narrowly captured the prestigious Gordin Classic, hosted by Ohio Wesleyan. File Photo | Erin Pence
Alex Andrews earned medalist honors as the Tigers narrowly captured the prestigious Gordin Classic, hosted by Ohio Wesleyan. File Photo | Erin Pence
October 2, 2012
Results

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In recent years, the Wittenberg men's golf team has knocked on the door several times, competing well in some of the top tournaments in the nation. The 2012 Gordin Classic, hosted by Ohio Wesleyan University at Columbus Country Club, represented a breakthrough of sorts as the Tigers put it all together, taking first place against a 12-team field that included 11 of the top 19 teams in the NCAA Division III preseason rankings.

The 12th-ranked Tigers carded blistering rounds of 293, 285 and 290 over the two days to finish with a three-round total of 868. That score bested preseason No. 2 Methodist by two strokes and defending national champion – and preseason No. 1 – Oglethorpe by 11.

It was the second straight tournament title for the Tigers, who opened the season with a narrow loss at the Transylvania Fall Invitational. The Pioneers, the national runner-up last May, finished eighth in this tournament.

Individually, the Tigers were paced by the tournament medalist. Sophomore Alex Andrews (Kirtland, Ohio/Gilmour Academy) looped the par-72, 7006-yard course in scores of 71, 69 and 72 to win the event by one stroke over Jeff Wells of Methodist University and Anthony Maccaglia of Oglethorpe. The second-round 69 was a collegiate best for Andrews, as was his score of 140 over the first two rounds, which is tied for the fifth-best two-round score in program history.

Andrews had plenty of help, starting with a seventh-place finish from junior Ben Hogenkamp (Minster, Ohio/Minster), who finished with a three-round total of 216, four strokes behind Andrews. Sophomore John Chaney (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Gilmour Academy) finished 16th with a score of 223, senior Craig Osterbrock (Wilmington, Ohio/Wilmington) placed 25th with a score of 226 and junior Jack Uecker (Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) took 30th with a 227.

The Tigers get right back into action during Wittenberg's Homecoming Weekend when they host the Rosencrans-Maurer Invitational at historic Springfield Country Club Oct. 6-7.