Men's Golf Seizes Early Command at MIAA NCAA Championships Qualifier

Sophomore Jack Guerrera, pictured

A sensational start and a sizzling finish propelled the Hope College men's golf team to a sensational opening round of the MIAA's NCAA Division III Championships qualifier.

The Flying Dutchmen finished at 2-over-par and posted a 290 — their second-lowest round of the season — on Saturday at Glendarin Hills Golf Club in Angola, Indiana.

The MIAA's regular-season champions shot 4-under during the first three holes and 5-under over the final four holes to give themselves a 13-stroke lead after 18 holes of the 54-hole event.

Adrian College carded a second-place 303, two strokes ahead of third-place Trine University. Calvin University is in fourth at 307.

Hope hosts the final two rounds of the qualifier on Friday-Saturday, April 21-22, at Wuskowhan Players Club in West Olive.

"I'm really pleased," head coach Scott Lokers said. "We haven't played all that well this spring until today. To see this team respond and shoot 290 is really good. We started well and ended well."

Seth Almquist (Minneapolis, Minnesota / Wayzata HS) claimed medalist honors by firing a 3-under-par 69.

Almquist, third in Hope's lineup, birdied two par-4s and two par-3s on the 6,988-yard course while registering just one bogey on a par-5.

The round ranks among the lowest for a Flying Dutchmen golfer in an MIAA Tournament

Sophomore Jack Guerrera (Northville, Michigan / Detroit Catholic Central) finished runner-up on Saturday, carding a 71.

Guerrera, fifth in the Flying Dutchmen's lineup, birdied one par-5 and one-par 4 while only bogeying one par-4.

"Our depth was key for us in the fall, and it came through today," Lokers said. "To get what we got out of the No. 3 spot and the No. 5 spot is tremendous. They really gave us a lift."

Two Hope golfers tied for fifth with 75s: junior Will Robson (Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Grand Rapids) and freshman Patrick Michael (Carmel, Indiana / Carmel).

The Flying Dutchmen also received a 78 from freshman Liam Casey (Northville, Michigan / Detroit Catholic Central).

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Players Mentioned

Seth Almquist: Senior

Jack Guerrera: Sophomore; Accounting, Public Accounting

Will Robson: Junior; Business

Patrick Michael: Freshman

Liam Casey: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Seth Almquist
: Senior

Jack Guerrera
: Sophomore; Accounting, Public Accounting

Will Robson
: Junior; Business

Patrick Michael
: Freshman

Liam Casey
: Freshman