WEST DES MOINES — Putting together its best team score of the spring, the Central College men’s golf team moved up to take a third-place finish at the American Rivers Conference Championships Tuesday.
           
The Dutch carded a 297 as a team Tuesday, finishing third with a three-round total of 306-320-297—923. All three rounds were played on the par-71 Glen Oaks Country Club course.

“It was a great finishing round for us today,” coach Mel Blasi said. “We were able to put together four good scores.”

Luther College was the team champion (301-309-294—904) and Jay Fjestul of the Norse was the individual champion (72-77-70—219).

Jacob Moffett (senior, Mount Pleasant) finished as the league runner-up after shooting his highest round of the week and ending the tournament with a score of 72-74-76—222.

“Jacob had a terrific tournament and really hung in there today after a slow start,” Blasi said. “It was great to see him have the best tournament of his college career at the conference championships.”

Harold Dobernecker (senior, Nevada) had Central’s lowest individual 18-hole round of the tournament with an even par 71 Tuesday. He moved up six spots to ninth, earning all-conference honors and a score of 78-81-71—230.

“It was great to see Harold bounce back and play like he has all year, stellar,” Blasi said. “He was brilliant from tee to green all day, and with a hot putter he would have been much lower.”

Kayden Pendergrass (junior, Mount Vernon) finished tied for 14th (78-82-75—235), John Oltman (senior, Pella) tied for 17th (78-83-75—236) and Cole McGriff (senior, Grinnell) finished 34th (85-83-77—245).

Moffett, Dobernecker, Oltman and McGriff are all graduating in a few weeks.

 

“We’re going to miss all four of them next year,” “They have been leaders in our program. They are outstanding students and good people. They have set the bar high in our program and our returners have huge shoes to fill.”