Preview: Colonials’ golf at the Northern Kentucky Fall Classic

Golf ball near green. Image Credit: Golfible

Jonathan Hanna, Contributor
September 23, 2018

This Sunday and Monday, the Robert Morris University men’s golf team (E) will start their season. The team is heading to Elks Run Golf Club in Batavia, Ohio, just outside of Cincinnati, to take part in the Northern Kentucky Fall Classic.

The Colonials will have a wide array of experiences on the team, which is made up of freshmen Cole Chase, Jimmy Ellis, and Chase Miller; sophomore Nicholas Mihalo, juniors Kyle Grube, and Max Palmer; and seniors Daniel Franco Saad, Bryce Gorrell, Ethan Sawyer, Alex Schreckengost, and David Szymanski. The Colonials are coached by head coach Jerry Stone, and assistant coach Dave Munoz.

Last year, the Colonials best finish was first overall, at the Titans Motown Collegiate, with a combined team score of 24 over par. The Colonials low round on the year was a 3-under 69, shot at the Coca-Cola Lehigh Valley Invitational by sophomore Max Palmer. At the NEC Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida, the Colonials finished second, 12 shots behind the champions, Central Connecticut State University.

Elks Run Golf Club is situated in Batavia, Ohio; a little over 20 miles away from Cincinnati. In 2010, it was rated a top-10 course in Ohio by Golfweek magazine. Opened in 1999, and designed by 2-time British Open winner Greg Norman, Elks Run is a 6,833 yard, par 71 courses, that includes a creek that comes into play on many holes.

Returning teams from the tournament last year include the host Northern Kentucky Norse (+89), the Detroit Mercy Titans (+74), the Morehead State Eagles (+17), the Green Bay Phoenix (+52), and the Evansville Purple Aces (+72). Last year at the tournament, the Colonials finished with a total team score of +39, good enough for 6th overall, and 23 shots back of the leader, the Butler Bulldogs.

For Northern Kentucky, their low score on the year is -3 by Alex Doss, while Detroit Mercy’s low score is a 3-under par, shot by Jacob Hill in the 3rd round of the Turning Stone Tiger Intercollegiate. The Green Bay Phoenix’s lowest round on the year is a -4, by George Kneiser at the Crusader Collegiate.

At the Murray State Invitational, Cooper Collins shot the lowest score of the year for the Morehead State Eagles, a -4. Evansville’s Jessie Brumley shot a -1 at the EKU Raising Canes Intercollegiate, for the Purple Aces lowest round of the year.