KWU Men’s Golf team gets 1st place at SCU Invitational

By Beau Grant / Co-Sports Editor

The Kansas Wesleyan University men’s golf team competed in the Southern Christian University (SCU) invitational golf tournament this past week, and took home first place.

This is the team’s second tournament of the year as they kicked off the season on August 28 at the UC Ferguson Classic. Aberdeen, SD, senior Ethan Vikander took third as an individual with scores of 67, 73 and 67 in 3 rounds totaling 207. Sophomore Jackson Malone from Frisco, TX, shot 213 with his lowest round being a 68.

When asked about his performance, Malone said, “Overall I played some decent golf, it started to slow down in rounds 2 and 3, and it was a really big mental grind.” Malone was named a NAIA third-team All-American last year as a true freshman.

Photo courtesy of @kwu_golf on Instagram / The Coyotes scorecard after the SCU Tournament.

Golf head coach Coleman Houk had some positive words about his team’s performance, “It’s awesome to get a win and get confidence early,”

He praised to Vikander for his performance and for Coffeyville senior Trevor Watson, “Watson played really solid as usual.” Watson shot 211 with his lowest round being the final one where he shot a 69. Rounding out the Coyote’s scores was Overland Park freshman Hank Reeg, who shot a 217 with his lowest being a 69, and North Richland Hills, TX, junior Tyler Tarvin who shot a 218 and his lowest being a 71. Tarvin is a returner from last year who will provide some upperclassmen depth to a young team.

As a team, the Coyotes shot 279, and 288, and finished the round with 276, bringing the team total to 843.

While everyone on the team was impressive, Malone said, “I’m proud of myself for salvaging a positive round even when I didn’t have my best game.”

Houk is excited about his young team, “We have a really young team this year, and it’s great for them to get started on the right foot.”

In the preseason votes for men’s golf in the KCAC, Kansas Wesleyan did not quite crack the top 25 but was on the receiving votes (RV) list. Fellow KCAC school Friends University was ranked #21.

KWU and Friends are the two schools that Houk thinks will be at the top this year, “I think it’s between us and Friends this year, if we play the right golf, it should be us and them in the championship.”

The next tournament for the Coyotes will be on September 8, when they travel to LeMars, Iowa, for the Northwest Iowa National Invitational. The Coyotes will be looking to repeat their success and bring home another first-place trophy.