Preview: RMU golf heads to Tom Tontimonia Invitational

Golf ball near green. Image Credit: Golfible

Jonathan Hanna, Contributor
October 8, 2018

This Monday and Tuesday, the Robert Morris Colonials golf team (+21) head to Lakewood Country Club in Westlake, Ohio to take part in the Tom Tontimonia Invitational, hosted by Cleveland State University. Tom Tontimonia was an athletics administrator at Cleveland State for 38 years and oversaw the Vikings golf team. Tontimonia retired from CSU during the last academic year.

Last week, the Colonials finished fourth in the Matthews Auto Collegiate Invitational. In Binghamton, the Colonials had a combined scorecard of eight-over-par, while the Binghamton Bearcats (+78) won the tournament at 14-under-par. Colonials senior Bryce Gorrell had a four-under-par tournament, which also helped him to garner the honors of being the NEC Golfer of the Month in September.

Also playing in the tournament for the Colonials were Max Palmer, who shot a three-over-par and tied for 23rd; Kyle Grube, who had sole possession of 27th, and shot a four-over tournament; Dave Szymanski, whose 149-stroke tournament awarded him a place in a seven-way tie for 28th. Finally, freshman Chase Miller had a tournament in which he finished 67th overall at a thirteen-over-par.

Lakewood C.C. is a 7022 yard, par 71 courses, designed by World Golf Hall of Famer, A.W. Tillinghast. Tillinghast also designed the famous Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York and Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale New York, which was ranked the sixth toughest golf course in America by Golf Digest magazine. These courses have combined to host nine major tournaments, and two more on the way. Lakewood Country Club hosted the Cleveland Open in 1966 and 1968; and more recently, on the Web.com tour, hosted the Rust-Oleum Championship from 2014-2016.

Also playing in the tournament will be the Cleveland State University Vikings (+102), the Dayton Flyers (+86), the Northern Kentucky Norse (+105), the Wright State Raiders (+35), the Detroit Mercy Titans (+100), the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies (+9), the Youngstown State Penguins (+120), the Evansville Purple Aces (+94), the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons (+40) and the Green Bay Phoenix (+71).

Cleveland State’s Zak Supelak shot the Vikings lowest tournament score of the year, a two-over-par; the Flyers are led by Jake Gilkison, whose low round was a 66. Austin Schoonmaker had the low tournament for Wright State, a four-under-par at the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational.

Detroit Mercy’s James Hill had a tournament of two-under-par, which is the team’s lowest of the year. At the Fuzzy Zoeller Invitational, Chris Handy shot a five-under-par, which is the lowest of the year for Oakland University. For the Penguins of Youngstown State, a three-under tournament for Kevin Scherr is the lowest of the year. Dallas Koth of Evansville shot an even-par round at the NKU Fall Collegiate Classic. Eric Brinker and Zach Schroeder both shot three-over-par tournaments for the Mastodons’ lowest of the year. Finally, the Green Bay Phoenix are led by George Kneiser, who shot a three-under-par at the Murray State Invitational.