Cobbers Looking For Phelps-Like Season
Concordia finished in eighth place at the Augsburg Fall Invite and will be looking for a Michael Phelps finish for the 2016 season.
HAM LAKE, Minn. (9/04/16)—Concordia is hoping their 2016 season will be like a Michael Phelps race at the Olympics – start slow and then finish with a big kick.
The Cobbers didn't bolt out of the blocks to start the year and recorded an eighth-place finish at the Augsburg Fall Invite held at Majestic Oaks GC in Ham Lake.
Concordia did show improvement from Day 1 to Day 2 as they started the Joe Christianson era. Under their first-year head coach the Cobbers carded a 317 on Saturday and then responded with a 312 on Sunday. Their two-day total of 629 was eight shots shy of seventh-place Wis.-Eau Claire and three shots better than the St. John's second squad.
Nathaniel Kahlbaugh kicked off his second season in maroon and gold by leading the team with a 75-77=152. His 152 total was good for a Top 15 finish as he tied for 15th with three other golfers. Kahlbaugh's total represented a 13-shot improvement from his freshman season. Last year at the same event he came home with a 165 and finished in 93rd place.
Senior Cade Montplaisir was the only other CC golfer to finish under 160 for the two days. Montplaisir was right behind Kahlbaugh at 154. He went out with a 76 on Saturday and came home with a 78 on Sunday. His two-day total was good for a T23 finish.
A pair of freshman was the team's No.3 and 4 golfers for the weekend – and both showed signs of nerves in their first collegiate rounds. Kahlbaugh's brother Blake Kahlbaugh shot an 83 on Saturday but then rebounded with a 77 on Sunday to tie Nathaniel for the low Cobber round of the day. Gage Stromme plowed his way to an 85 on the first day and then dropped five shots to come home with a two-day total of 165.
Senior Zach Whitchurch was the fifth member of Concordia's team for the opener and opened with an 83 before posting an 86 on Sunday.
WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will travel to Wisconsin next weekend for the annual Wis.-Eau Claire Blugold Invite at the Eau Claire Golf & Country Club. The two-day meet will take place on Sunday, Sept. 11 and Monday, Sept. 12. Last year the Cobbers tied for second place at the meet which is attended by the top Division III teams in the region.