The College of Wooster golf team translated home-course advantage this weekend into its top finish of the spring season, placing fifth among a field of 12 at the Nye Intercollegiate, held at the par-72, 6,455-yard Wooster Country Club. Wooster was fourth after the first day with a 313, but despite shooting a similar score of 316 Sunday, slipped back one spot, while No. 9 ranked Ohio Wesleyan University won the title via rounds of 303 and 300.

The Battling Bishops were nine strokes ahead of runner-up Olivet College (612), followed by 17th-ranked Allegheny College and Denison University, which tied for third-place via 618 totals. Wooster’s 629 was three ahead of rival Wittenberg University (632) and the remaining six teams were well back in the standings.

Individual medalist honors were earned by Allegheny junior Mike Wolfe, who covered the 36 holes in three-over par via a 73 and a 74. He edged Andy Schillig, as the Ohio Wesleyan junior shot a tourney-low 72 on Saturday and followed it up with a 76 for second-place.

Not far behind was the Fighting Scots’ Pat Lynch, who was in the 70s both rounds. He started with a 77 and then shaved three strokes Sunday for a 74, including going two-under on the front nine, all of which resulted in a sixth-place individual finish (151).

Also for Wooster, Jason Greenwald’s tie for 17th-place was keyed by an opening day 75, part of a 157 total, while Jim Ipema, Erik Shoger, and Tim Sullivan were just two strokes apart, finishing in a tie for 31st (80-81), alone in 34th-place (83-79), and in a tie for 35th (81-82), respectively.

Outside of the starting lineup, the Scots had four others competing as individuals. That group was highlighted by Sean Glaser’s 77, which occurred over the first 18.

Noteworthy, the Nye Intercollegiate was the third of four North Coast Athletic Conference events throughout 2007-08, which will determine the final league standings. Ohio Wesleyan leapfrogged Allegheny into first-place, as the Bishops now are at 1782 strokes to the Gators’ 1792. Wooster is among three teams in the running for third-place, with Denison currently leading that pack (1856), followed by the Scots (1867) and Wittenberg (1874). The four others schools are well back.

The Scots have one more tune-up prior to the season-ending NCAC Championships, as they’ll be at the 18-hole Gannon Invitational on Monday, April 28.