MONROE, N.C. – The IUP men's golf team maintained its positioning in the team standings, finishing seventh overall and ahead of two higher-ranked teams on Tuesday afternoon at Wingate's Ralph Hargett Intercollegiate.
In a field with four schools in the top 40 nationally, the IUP Crimson Hawks held their own and then some in the team's first competition of the spring 2024 semester. IUP finished with team scores of 296, 295 and 302 for a combined total of 893.
Just eight strokes separated fourth-place Belmont Abbey (889) and eighth-place teams Carson-Newman (897) and South Carolina Beaufort (897). The Crimson Hawks entered the team's first tournament of the spring ranked atop the Atlantic region and number 83 nationally, finishing ahead of No. 32 Carson-Newman and No. 61 USCB in the team standings.
Alex Swinnerton paced the IUP lineup once again, finishing tied for 17th following rounds of 74, 71 and 74. Swinnerton settled in after three straight bogeys to begin his round on Tuesday, recording consecutive birdies on holes 16 and 17 and another one to finish the event on hole six.
Aidan LeBlanc was tied for 36th after the 54-hole event following a 77 in round three. Starting at hole eight, LeBlanc was cruising at one-over par before until the par-five sixth hole. He began the round with four consecutive pars before posting birdies on back-to-back holes at 12 and 13.
LeBlanc and Swinnerton combined to play the par-three holes at a combined +1 over three rounds of action.
Shaun Fedor registered IUP's lone eagle of the tournament, coming on the par-five 17.Finishing in a tie for 48th with rounds of 74, 78 and 76, Fedor regained some momentum after three straight bogeys with the eagle putt on the 493-yard hole.
Swinnerton (-2) and Fedor (-1) were each under par over par-five holes in the three-round event.
Guillermo Salazar jumped 14 spots up the individual leaderboard for the Crimson Hawks with his third-round mark of 75 (+3). Finishing tied for 63rd, Salazar played his final 15 holes at a one under clip on Tuesday.
John Olsen rounded out the IUP scoring lineup in a tie for 75th.
Cameron Gerue jumped nine spots into a tie for 73rd place after a four-over 76 on Tuesday as an individual. Gerue fired in consecutive birdies on holes 12 and 13 at the tail end of his round.
Jon Vinge closed out the IUP competitors in a tie for 85th as an individual, carding a 77 in the final round.
Team Leaderboard (indicates national ranking)
1. (5) Grand Valley State – 282, 278, 284 | 844
2. (65) Tusculum – 284, 287, 288 | 859
3. (35) Wingate – 287, 292, 286 | 865
4. (59) Belmont Abbey – 288, 297, 304 | 889
5. (77) Hillsdale – 295, 298, 297 | 890
--
7. (83) IUP – 296, 295, 302 | 893
Individual Leaderboard
1. Drew Coble, Grand Valley State – 67, 70, 68 (205)
2. Morgan Cain, Tusculum – 70, 71, 66 (207)
3. Manuel Cue, Grand Valley State – 73, 67, 69 (209)
4. Cole Haygood, Tusculum – 73, 69, 72 (214)
T5. Jordan Hyland, Wingate – 70, 75, 70 (215)
T5. Blake Williams, Tusculum – 70, 72, 73 (215)
T5. Nick Kruger, Grand Valley State – 72, 68, 75 (215)
IUP Scores (Rolling Hills Country Club – Par 72)
T17.
Alex Swinnerton – 74, 71, 74 (219)
T36.
Aidan LeBlanc – 78, 71, 77 (226)
T48.
Shaun Fedor – 74, 78, 76 (228)
T62.
Guillermo Salazar – 75, 82, 75 (232)
T73.
Cameron Gerue (individual) – 78, 81, 76 (235)
T75.
John Olsen – 73, 75, 88 (236)
T85.
Jon Vinge (individual) – 78, 84, 77 (239)
Up Next
IUP returns down to the Carolinas next week, taking part in the Oldfield Classic on March 25-26, hosted by South Carolina Beaufort.
Follow
For coverage of the IUP men's golf program, follow the Crimson Hawks on X (Twitter) (@IUPgolf), Instagram (@IUPmgolf) and online at IUPathletics.com.
