The Lawrence golf team took second place this weekend, and given the team’s recent string of fantastic performances, second place is foreign territory. Joe Loehnis and Ryan Knox both tied for fourth with rounds of 79 at their home course at Eagle Creek.
While they may have played sub-standard golf this Saturday, the team still managed to clinch the Northern Division team title. The title, decided by one round at each team’s home course, was won by 48 strokes, with Carroll taking a distant second.
Loehnis captured the individual crown with a cumulative stroke total of 305. Viking golfers also finished fourth through sixth, with Andy Link and Knox tying for fourth with totals of 321, and Matt Orth finishing sixth with rounds totaling 326.
The Vikes will have to fare better this weekend if it hopes to defend its 2005 Midwest Conference title. Orth says, “The South Division is much stronger than the North Division; we need Loehnis and Link to shoot well.”
Along with low scores by the top golfers, Orth claims two out of the three remaining golfers must have decent rounds each day. “If [Markus] Specks, Knox, or I have an off round one day, we can handle that, but we cannot afford two bad rounds in one day.”
The Midwest Conference Championship will be played at Aldeen Golf Club in Rockford, Illinois. The tourney consists of 54 holes, with an individual champion and team champion.
Golf captures MWC North title
