Men's Golf Hosts Doane Invite

CRETE, Neb. – The Doane University men's golf team turned in an impressive performance in its home invite, finishing third overall while placing multiple individuals among the tournament's top finishers.

Doane's "A" team carded a 36-hole total of 569 (293-276), finishing just three strokes behind tournament champion Northwestern (IA) (566) and one stroke shy of runner-up Southeast Community College (568). The Tigers surged in round two with a 276—one of the lowest rounds of the tournament—to be in contention.

Tigers Place Three Inside Top 10

Leading the way for Doane was Ben Kottmeyer, who placed fifth overall with a 141 (71-70). Kottmeyer's steady play in both rounds anchored the Tigers' lineup and kept them in the hunt for the team title.

Teammate Heidar Bjarnason followed closely, tying for sixth at 142 (72-70), while Cauy Walters delivered one of the best rounds of the tournament with a second-round 68 to finish tied for 10th at 143 (75-68).

Carson Kildow added a top-20 performance, tying for 16th at 144 (76-68), and Joshua Wassmer rounded out the scoring five for the "A" team, tying for 21st at 146 (75-71).

Strong Depth Across Multiple Teams

Doane's "B" team finished seventh overall at 589 (294-295), led by Jax Loh, who tied for 10th with a 143 (71-72). Embree Stutsman and Matt McConkey each posted rounds of 147 to tie for 26th, while Jarett Moriarity added a 153.

The Tigers' depth was further showcased by the "C" and "D" squads. Brock Olivo and Alex Morrall paced the "C" team with matching 156 totals, while Brady Haake highlighted the "D" team with a 152, including a strong second-round 70.

Tournament Highlights

McConkey recorded a hole-in-one on the Par 3, 14th hole at Mahoney Golf Course in the second round. It is the third hole-in-one on record for a Doane golfer in a competition round. 

Northwestern's Evan Smith claimed medalist honors with a 137 (72-65), using the lowest round of the tournament (65) to secure the title. Hastings' Ryker Dunkley finished second at 139, while Southeast CC placed two golfers in a tie for third.

As a team, Doane's second-round push and balanced scoring across multiple lineups demonstrated the program's depth and ability to compete with nationally ranked opponents. The Tigers placed eight golfers inside the top 26 (including ties) and four inside the top 10 across all entries (107 golfers).

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