Cobbers Find Their Stride In Final Round Of MN Classic
Concordia found its stride in the final round of the Minnesota Golf Classic hosted by Bethel. The Cobbers shot their best score of the weekend in the second round on Sunday.
MAPLE PLAIN, Minn. (9/10/23)---Concordia found its stride in the final round of the Minnesota Golf Classic hosted by Bethel. The Cobbers shot their best score of the weekend in the second round on Sunday.
Concordia fired a season-low total of 292 in the final 18 holes of the 54-hole event, the lowest total for a single round for a CC team since the second round of the MIAC Championship Meet in the spring of 2021 when they dropped a 280 on the field.
The 292 on the second round on Day 2 of the Minnesota Golf Classic consisted of four scores under 77. Gabe Benson led the way with a 2-under 70. Sam Henke was even par on the second 18, while Mason Plante carded a 74, and Justin Lamp came home with a 4-over 76.
Benson led Concordia for the second straight weekend. He finished with a 3-round total of 220. Benson opened with a 77 but played the final 36 holes in 1-under. He opened Sunday with a 73 and then finished the tournament with the 70.
Benson placed in a tie for 33rd place in a meet that featured 34 Division I golfers. He finished fifth among players from the MIAC. Benson has a 71.4 average over the first five rounds of the season, which is in the Top 5 of the conference.
Henke, who earned All-Conference honors as a freshman, has started senior season on a solid note. He was the No.2 finisher for CC over the weekend. He improved in all three rounds and carded three scores lower than his first two rounds at last weekend's season opener. Henke shot a 78 on Day 1, then dropped a stroke in the second round before posting the even-par 72 on the final 18 holes. The 72 is his lowest single-round total since the opening round of the St. John's Fall Invite in 2021.
Plante was playing in his first meet of the season and responded by placing as the team's No.3 golfer. He led the team after Saturday when he posted a 76, but then stumbled to an 82 in the opening round on Day before finishing up with a 74 to post a total of 232.
Jayce Johnson and Lamp finished off the Cobber crew at the meet. Johnson was the No.4 finisher for CC. He finished with a total of 234, which included a pair of 79s and a 76 in the first round on Sunday. Lamp had his third-round score of 76 count towards the team total. He opened with an 81 on Saturday and had an 84 in the first 18 on Day 2.
UP NEXT: Concordia will have their shortest turnaround of the season before their next meet. CC will play in the Univ. of Jimmie Fall Classic on Monday, Sept. 11 and Tuesday, Sept. 12.