Men's Golf opens 2013 spring season with sixth place finish at snow-shortened MSJ Spring Invitational

By Tim Glon

NORTH BEND — The Ohio Northern men's golf team opened its 2013 spring season with a sixth place finish at the snow-shortened Mount Saint Joseph Invitational on Saturday at the Ashton Oaks Golf Course.

The Polar Bears (40-14-1 overall) finished with 330 strokes. Centre (Ky.) won the 13-team tournament with 298 strokes, Mount Saint Joseph was second with 313 and Davenport (Mich.) was third with a 314.

The tournament was scheduled for 36 holes over two days, but Sunday's 18-hole round was cancelled due to heavy snow.

Junior Colin Burns led Ohio Northern and finished tied for 26th out of 92 golfers with a 9-over par 81.

Junior Ryan Wirtz and freshmen Rick Deichert and Brandon Lambert each tied for 38th with 83s.

Grant Blevins of Centre took Medalist honors with a 71.

The Polar Bears will return to action on April 5 with a dual match at Ohio State-Lima.

Team Standings

1. Centre (Ky.) 298, 2. Mount Saint Joseph 313, 3. Davenport (Mich.) 314, 4. Franklin (Ind.) 322, 5. Ohio Wesleyan 325, 6. Ohio Northern 330, 7. Thomas More (Ky.) 334, t8. Hanover (Ind.) 335, t8. Manchester (Ind.) 335, t10. Rose-Hulman (Ind.) 337, t10. Cincinnati State 337, 12. Muskingum 361, 13. Defiance 364.

Top 5 Individual Results

1. Grent Blevins (Centre) 71, 2. John Martin 74, 3. Matt Nickoson (CSU) 75, t4. Kenyon Cook (Centre) 76, t4. Matt Stiens (MSJ) 76.

Ohio Northern Individual Results

t26. Colin Burns 81, t38. Ryan Wirtz 83, t38. Rick Diechert 83, t38. Brandon Lambert 83, t47. Andrew Quintrell 84.

Other Ohio Norhern Individual Results

t38. Ted Loewendick 83, t84. Pat Helman 96, t88. Angelo Pamer 99.