MCC golfers deliver best day at nationals Thursday

ODESSA, Texas – For the second straight day the McCook Community College golf team shaved a few more strokes off their team score Thursday carding a 306 in round three of the four-day National Junior College Athletic Association Championship tournament.

“We continue to improve but we are far from playing our best golf,” said MCC Coach Tyler Loop.

MCC, with five freshmen, takes over 23rd place in the 24-team field and could not make up any ground on Region IX rival Northeastern Junior College, in 22nd place. NJC also shot a round of 306 and their three-day total of 934 is four shots better than MCC. Spartanburg Community College is in 21st place with a 932 and Jefferson State is in 20th place with a 924.

Eastern Wyoming, also from Region IX tumbled six spots on the team leaderboard after shooting a 297 Thursday. \The Lancers are 16th and a plus-31 for the tournament.

“Overall, the guys are grinding the best they can,” Loop said. “We came in ranked 23rd but I know we could be much better, it mainly comes down to avoiding three-putts and playing smarter.”

Hutchinson CC leads the field shooting 16-under par, that leads New Mexico Junior College by 15 shots. Eastern Florida State is in third place at four over.

Ethan Gough (Hillcrest, South Africa) and Cayden Wynne (Lincoln Southwest) both shot one-over-par 73s on Thursday for MCC. Gough leads the team after three rounds with a 225. He is tied for 57th place among the individuals competing in the tournament at nine-over par. After shooting back-to-back 83s to start the tournament Wynne was 10 shots better Thursday and has a three-day total of 239.

Brayden Dahl (freshman, Hillcrest, South Africa) shot a 79 and is 28-over for the tournament with a 244.

Payton Craw (freshman, McCook) and Jordan Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) both posted Thursday rounds of 81. Craw is second on the team over three days posting a 237 and Bingham is at 245.

“I’m looking forward to seeing them try one more time for a round we’ve been searching for,” Loop said.

Hutchinson’s Ben Partridge leads the individual race at eight-under par. Teammate Dominic Clemons is tied for second with New Mexico’s Matthis Lefevre, but at six under. Blake Saffel of Hutchinson is fourth at five-under.