Scots Right in Middle of 11-Team Field at Wabash

The College of Wooster golf team finished right in the middle of the pack at its event this weekend, taking sixth-place out of 11 at the Wabash Invitational, which took place at the Trophy Club Golf Course in Lebanon, Ind., on Saturday and Sunday.

All four of Wooster’s scorers during the first 18 holes shot 80 or below en route to a 317 total, but the Fighting Scots were not as fortunate over the second 18 as all four were at 80 and above, part of a 329. The 646 was six better than the host school, Wabash College, which is meaningful because the tourney was the third of four North Coast Athletic Conference Golf Championship Series events during the 2008-09 season. The two appear to be battling for fifth-place, with Wooster now at 1,931 and Wabash at 1,906 strokes.

Ohio Wesleyan University won the Wabash Invitational with a 592, strengthening its lead for the NCAC trophy as the Battling Bishops now stand at 1,752, well ahead of Wittenberg University (1,827), Allegheny College (1,837), and Denison University (1,864). Three others are well behind the sixth-place Scots.

Individually for Wooster this weekend, freshmen Michael Peters and Blake Sword matched each other with scores of 160 while tying for 18th overall. Peters carded back-to-back 80s, while Sword led the way Saturday via a 78 and followed it up with an 82. Tim Faerber, another first-year for the Scots, opened with a 79 – one stroke shy of his season-low – and then was in the scoring again Sunday at 83 to tie for 29th (162).

Also in the lineup were first-year Greg Benckart and junior David Boardman. Benckart contributed an 80 over the first 18, and after an 87, ended up tied for 40th (167) in the standings, while Boardman’s 84 the second 18 counted to the team score and gave him a tie for 46th overall (171).

Next, Wooster will host its annual tournament, the Nye Intercollegiate, on April 25-26 at the Wooster Country Club.