Upper Iowa's men's golf team returned to the short grass on Monday and Tuesday this week after nearly a year and a half away from competitions due to the CoVID-19 pandemic. The Peacocks played three rounds including two on Monday to kick off their spring season at the Topeka Country Club in Topeka, Kansas. UIU placed eighth in the 16-team field at the Washburn Invitational hosted by Washburn University.
Upper Iowa put together a 54-hole team total of 933 after rounds of 315 and 303 on Monday and a 315 on Tuesday. Winona State University (918) claimed seventh place ahead of the Peacocks by 15 strokes, while Rockhurst University (938) fell five strokes behind UIU in ninth place.
The host Ichabods of Washburn claimed the team title with an 861 after rounds of 283, 291 and 287. Missouri Western State University placed second with an 870 posting team scores of 292, 284 and 294. Southwestern Oklahoma State University (894, 301-293-300) and the University of Sioux Falls (902, 305-295-302) rounded out the top four in the team race.
Logan Schweinefus opened his season with a two-under 69 in round one and followed it up with a pair of 75s to tie for sixth-place on the individual leaderboard thanks to his total of 219.
Chris Cooksley also placed in the top-20 as he turned in scores of 77, 73 and 76 to finish 18
th.
Will Babcock improved each round to sign his name to scores of 84, 81 and 80 and tied for 66
th, while
Nolan Leaton placed 69
th after rounds of 85, 77 and 84.
Nathan Petrak was the final Peacock in the scoring fivesome placing 87
th (90-78-87).
Trent Shaw played as an individual and tied for 49
th; after an opening round 85, he played well and shot rounds of 73 and 79.
Jacob Mahloch was the final Peacock on the course and played as an individual tying for 91
st (83-84-90).
The Peacocks will head south again this coming Sunday, Mar. 28 for the NSIC Spring Preview at Shoal Creek Golf Course in Kansas City, Mo.
