The Hope College men's golf team rose to the challenges of a blustery wind and a determined rival over the weekend.
The prize is a return trip to the NCAA Division III Championships next month.
The 11th-ranked Flying Dutchmen went to Calvin's home course and claimed a 13-stroke victory at the 54-hole event - outscoring the Knights by 12 strokes over rounds Friday and Saturday at Watermark Country Club in Grand Rapids.
Hope is headed to nationals for the fourth consecutive season and 13th overall on May 15-18 on Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C. The Flying Dutchmen finished a program-best sixth in the nation last season and had the individual national champion in Josh Gibson.
"So proud of this team," said head coach Scott Lokers, whose team placed second in the regular-season standings last fall. "This spring we really stressed team. It started with (the match play) win in Greensboro. They played really well. They were together. They were taking care of each other and having fun.
"Today was a day of adversity. Everybody just hung in there. No one played exactly the way they wanted, but everybody stayed mentally strong and put up the scores we needed."
The Flying Dutchmen shot a team score of 311 on Saturday — two strokes better than Trine and four better than Calvin.
Hope finished with a 54-hole total of 889. The Flying Dutchmen finished ahead of Calvin (902), Trine (925), and Adrian (956).
On Saturday, senior Kade Hoeksema of Byron Center, Michigan (South Christian HS) led the Flying Dutchmen with a 2-over-par 74.
Gibson, a junior from Grandville, Michigan (Grandville) carded a 76. He had the lowest individual score over 54 holes.
Sophomore Daniel Settecerri of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (Bloomfield Hills) chipped in a final-round 79.
Juniors Andrew Goble of Brighton, Michigan (Brighton) and Ben Kramer of Spring Lake, Michigan (Spring Lake) each recorded 82s.
Golfers often shot into 20-mile per hour winds throughout the 6,763-yard course.
"The conditions were really tough," Hoeksema said. "The wind was blowing hard most of the day. The greens were firm as well. Guys kept their nose down, kept grinding and making sure they were doing what they could do to keep their scores down.
"Getting back to nationals was our goal at the start of the year. Being able to win (the qualifier) this weekend, we're super glad."
