Entering the final round of the Mid-American Conference Championship Tournament, the Bobcats stood in sixth place, looking for a strong finish yesterday to gain ground on the leaders.

It turned out to be a pipe dream.

Though their final-round score of 315 was the team’s lowest, it wasn’t nearly enough to catch the explosive Kent State team, whose 1177 (+25) total was 51 shots better than second-place Toledo. Ohio finished in sixth place of eight teams, shooting 1297 for the tournament.

The Golden Flashes were a collective 8-under par on the final round.

Freshman Erin Cahill of Hilliard was Ohio’s low finish, tying for 20th place after a final-round 81. Lauren Bergman turned in the Bobcats’ best round of the day, a 5-over par 77.

If Brickyard Crossing Golf Course was a 17-hole course, the results for the Bobcats may have been significantly better. The tricky par-3 17th hole served as the undoing for all Ohio golfers, who combined to go +9 on the hole in the final round.

The golf course was in great condition all weekend, and the field was met with excellent scoring weather yesterday.
Senior Katie Stafford’s final-round 79 was her only sub-80 round of the tournament. Colleen Liensech’s 6-over 78 was Ohio’s second-best score of the day.

Kent State’s Kirby Dreher was the individual champion (+3), and her 3-under yesterday tied the low score for the championship. All five Kent golfers finished in the top seven, with the top three occupied by blue and gold.

The Ohio men’s golf team also finished in sixth place at the FirstEnergy Invitational hosted by Kent State on Saturday.

Plagued by poor weather during the past few weeks, this weekend was a welcomed change. Though high winds were a factor late in the second round on Saturday, the morning round offered perfect weather.

James Ellis of McMurray, Pa., took advantage, shooting a 2-under 68 in the first round to lead the Bobcats, tying for seventh place individually at 143 total.

The par-70, 6,936 yard layout at Windmill Lakes Golf Club played slightly longer late Saturday with the winds, but there were a few low scores turned in.

Sophomore Tim Gusweiler shot rounds of 74 and 73 to finish tied for 20th place overall.

The Golden Flashes won in dominant fashion, finishing 12 strokes better than second-place Toledo. Jacob Scott of Cleveland State was the individual champion at 134 (-6) total.