Eagles Notch Strong Start to Season in the Point Invitational on Tuesday
By Mike DeVader, Reinhardt Director of Athletic Communications & Media
WEST POINT, Ga. – Men's and women's golf opened 2020 competition in the fall with a trip to the Point Invitational where both clubs finished in second overall in the two-day event.
On the men's side, Reinhardt carded a cumulative +24 (592), and finished in second place out of nine teams after moving up one spot on Tuesday thanks to a nine-over-par 293.
The women broke a team record by six and were able to stay in second the whole event with a +67 (643) after improving by 13 shots in round two en route to the runner-up finish.
"As a team, we were thankful that we had the opportunity to compete and that Point University was able to host the tournament with so much success," head coach Evans Nichols said. "Our men's team finishing second overall to Point by beating Truett McConnell and St. Andrews was an improvement from last year's finish, but our total score was nine shots worse. We saw what we needed to see. The boys and coaching staff are determined to make improvements before we head up to Cumberland University for the Music City Invitational.
"Our women's team broke the team 18-hole record shooting 315 in the second round. We broke the team 36-hole record shooting 643 in the tournament, and Lauren Welte tied the individual 18-hole record shooting 74 in the second round. Even with all those accomplishments, the ladies want more. After a second-place finish to Truett McConnell, the ladies and our coaching staff are focused on gearing up for the AAC fall conference tournament at Chateau Elan."
Individually, all five scoring Eagle men were able to get into the clubhouse in a tie for 23rd-place or better, led by a T8 from Hunter Clay (+5; 73, 74 – 147). He was joined within the top 12 by both Christopher Whitney (+6) and Brooks Gineris (+7).
Rounding out the top five was yet another top-15 finisher – Jack Haller – after his scores of 77 and 73 earned a T15 (+8). Dalton Henson placed in a tie for 23rd with a 12-over-par.
Meg McCord was named to the All-Tournament Team after she finished round two in fourth overall, seven shots back of the leaders, with a +14 (77, 81 – 158). Katie Kauffman (+17) and Lauren Welte (+18) weren't far behind in eighth and ninth place, respectively.
Welte tied a low-round record at Point with her second-day 74.
Brooke Newsome finished in 13th with a +24, and newcomer Debbie Blount opened her Reinhardt career with a T15.
Next up for men's golf is a trip to Nashville, Tenn., for the Music City Invitational on Oct. 5. The women next play on Oct. 19 in the AAC Fall Invite.
For up-to-the-minute Eagles sports news, follow Reinhardt Athletics on Facebook, @RU_Eagles on Twitter and @ru_eagles on Instagram.
For more information on Reinhardt Men's Golf, please click here, and for Reinhardt Women's Golf, click here.