The Bradley men’s golf team defended its team title at the 2018 Twin Oaks Intercollegiate after three upperclassmen tied for third overall in the 54-hole event. The Braves beat out the host, Missouri State University, and in-state rival Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.
After the first 36 holes, the Braves led second-place Missouri State by one stroke. The Braves secured rounds of 280 and 289 for a total of 569 at the Twins Oaks Country Club on day one.
Redshirt senior Zach Jewell performed the best individually on the first day for the Braves, finishing in second at 2-under 140 after the event’s first two rounds of play. Jewell shot even-par 71 in the first round and 2-under 69 in the second round.
Day two proved to be more difficult due to weather conditions. According to Bradley head coach Jeff Roche, the team played through poor conditions while remaining composed.
“We played through a little bit of rain, wind and sleet,” Roche said. “The guys really stayed focused and composed throughout the whole thing, even as the scores got tight.”
The Braves won the event three strokes ahead of both Missouri State and SIU-Edwardsville, who both tied at second with 864. Bradley finished with a team total of 861, one shot shy of last year’s overall team score, at the 11-team tournament.
“I think just having a one-shot lead on [Missouri State’s] home course [at the end of day one] was nothing to rest too easy on,” Roche said. “We built a pretty big cushion during the middle of the round [on day two], though, and as we hit the toughest part of the course to finish, we did what we needed to do.”
Jewell, senior Ethan Brue and junior Drake Bushong helped push the Braves to their second consecutive team title after tying for third at 1-over par 214.
Bushong finished his best round of the season on the final day, carding a round of even-par 71, while his teammates, Jewell and Brue, shot 74 and 2-over 73, respectively.
Coach Roche had nothing but praise for his upperclassmen, stating that their experience is what gave them the edge coming down to the final day of the competition.
“They played like the veterans that they are,” Roche said. “Just for them to have that composure down the stretch and having them lead [the Braves] is a solid team effort.”
The Bradley men’s golf team will be competing March 31 and April 1 at the D.A. Weibring Intercollegiate in Normal, Illinois.
