Golf team places 8th in final tune-up before conference tournament.

Bob Reynolds, Sports Editor

The Eastern men’s golf team finished in last place out of eight teams in the Cobra PUMA invitational hosted by Xavier University at the Par-71 Maketewah Country Club outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, over the past three days.

The Panthers finished with a team total of a plus-80 932. Eastern carded rounds of 304, 308 and 320, Sunday through Tuesday.

Eastern senior Oscar Borda tied for 31st place in the tournament shooting 18-over-par.

Borda shot a 7-over 78 Sunday, a 1-over 72 Monday and a 10-over 81 Tuesday. The 72 was tied for the lowest round Borda has shot this season. Previously, Borda shot a 72 at the Austin Peay Intercollegiate back on October 20.

Borda finished the regular season averaging a 76.55, which is four-over-par.

Sophomore Marcus Dahlin finished three places behind Borda shooting 19-over-par for the tournament.

Dahlin shot a 5-over 76 the first day of the tournament and finished the next two days with an 8-over 79 and a 6-over 77 for a 232 total for the tournament.

Senior James Jansen carded the second-lowest round of the tournament for the Panthers with a 2-over 73 in day one Sunday. He finished his next two rounds with an 8-over 80 and an 11-over 82.

Jansen finished in 41st place overall, which was one of his better finishes all season.

Sophomore Daniel Hughes carded two-straight rounds of 6-over 77 in the first two days of the tournament. He fell eight strokes in the final day of the tournament and finished with a total of 239.

Never trailing the entire tournament, Eastern Kentucky University finished in first place with a team score of 868.

The Colonels shot a team score of 285 in the first two days of the tournament and finished the tournament with a 298.

Senior Taylor Riggs paced the Colonels with a 2-under 69 in day one of the tournament. He finished it off with a 2-over 73 and a 1-over 72 to give him a third place finish with a score of 1-over 214.

Western Kentucky finished in second place, six strokes behind Eastern Kentucky, with a team total of 874.

Hilltopper senior Nate Johnson tied for first place individually with a total of 210. He shot a 5-under 66 in day one of the tournament, then a 5-over 76 Monday and a 3-under 68 Tuesday.

Rounding out the top three teams was host Xavier, who finished 10 strokes behind Western Kentucky.

Xavier senior Korey Ward tied for first place as well with a score of 210. He shot even-par 71 in day one, 2-under 69 day two and 1-under 70 day three.

Senior Brandon Beckham from Western Kentucky placed fourth in the individual rankings with a 4-over 217.

Eastern will be back in action starting this weekend at the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

Bob Reynolds can be reached at 581-2812 or rjreynolds@eiu.edu.