Winton Munch and the Hope College men's golf team teed off their bid to return to nationals with a successful start to the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association's 54-hole NCAA qualifier.
Led by Munch's 1-under-par 71 at Watermark Country Club, the Flying Dutchmen recorded the lowest round on Saturday in Grand Rapids with a team score of 297.
Hope, the regular-season MIAA champion, took a five-stroke lead over second-place Calvin. Trine (319) is in third place, while Kalamazoo (324) is fourth.
The Flying Dutchmen host the final two 18-hole rounds on Friday-Saturday, April 29-30 at Wuskowhan Players Club. The cumulative low score after 54 holes receives the MIAA's bid to next month's NCAA Division III Championships.
Munch, pictured, led a group of five Hope golfers to finish within six strokes of each other.
The junior from Traverse City, Michigan (Central HS) was followed by freshmen Josh Gibson of Grandville, Michigan (Grandville HS) and Ben Kramer of Spring Lake, Michigan (Spring Lake HS), who tied for fourth with 75s.
Freshman Andrew Goble of Brighton, Michigan (Brighton HS) chipped in an eighth-place 76 to round out Hope's scoring.
The Flying Dutchmen also received a 77 from sophomore Kade Hoeksema of Byron Center, Michigan (South Christian HS).
