After notching four top-five finishes during its fall season, the SIU men’s golf team looks to have carried that success into the spring semester.

The Salukis placed in the top-five four times last fall, and they added two more top-five finishes last week ‘- along with their first tournament win of the spring season.

SIU was able to hold its early lead and win the GEICO Intercollegiate on March 14 at Savannah, Ga.’ The Salukis led early and never looked back, as they held a nine-shot lead after 36 holes, then finished with a 54-hole total of 904, holding off Bryant University, which finished with a 56-hole total of 911.

Advertisement

Seton Hall (912), Appalachian State (916) and Yale (917) rounded out the top five in the 14-team tournament.

Head coach Leroy Newton said he was not surprised by his team’s performance.

‘We thought we were going to win. The kids have been playing that well,’ Newton said.’ ‘They have the attitude to just play and see if they can win.’

Senior co-captain John Danielson said though the team did not play its best in Savannah, he would not complain.

‘A win is a win,’ Danielson said. ‘It was nice to get back into the winner’s circle, that’s a good feeling.’

Junior Patrick Scheil led the way for the Salukis with a 54-hole total of 224, which gave him a career best third-place finish overall. Danielson finished with a 54-hole total of 226, which tied him for sixth overall.

‘I can’t complain about my performance, it was alright,’ Scheil said.’ ‘I’m more excited about the way the team performed.’

Advertisement*

The team’s first tournament at the Samford Invitational in Limestone Springs, Ala., wrapped up on March 10 with the Salukis notching a fifth place finish. SIU showed some initial rust, but shot a 298 on its last day to jump over host team Samford University to finish tied for fifth with Clayton State University in the 13-team tournament.’

Murray State finished in first place with a score of 859, finishing ahead of Kennesaw State, Eastern Kentucky and Illinois State.

‘It was their first time under pressure, but they handled it well,’ Newton said about the first tournament.’ ‘It helped them learn just how good they could be if they played consistently.’