Sophomore Cole Starnes’ individual performance took center stage for Indiana men’s golf, even with a disappointing overall team performance at the Colleton River Collegiate on March 2-3.
The Hoosiers finished in 10th place out of 16 teams, as they struggled to find consistency throughout the tournament. They shot a collective 31 over par.
However, Starnes made an immediate impact at the outing in Bluffton, South Carolina. He carded a 3-under-par 69 in the first round, which put him in a tie for first headed into the second round.
Starnes stepped up his game from the strong play he displayed in the first, as he continued to dominate the Colleton River Club Dye Course. Starnes scored a 68 in the second round. He finished the day at 7 under par and extended his lead to three strokes.
He played the entire front nine of the second round bogey-free, with a score of 3-under-par 33.
Starnes thrived on the par-3s on day one, scoring birdies on three of the seven across both rounds, which played a crucial role in maintaining his lead, as he consistently dominated the shorter holes.
However, Starnes’ performance in the third round did not provide the strong finish he needed to maintain his position atop the leaderboard.
After the first two rounds, Starnes struggled to maintain his momentum in the final round, posting a 5-over-par 77 to close out the tournament. He bogeyed the first, third, and fourth holes, before a double bogey on the par-4 ninth set him even further back.
Settling back in he shot 1 over par on the back nine, Starnes was able to maintain his position on the podium and finished third overall with a total score of 214 across 54 holes and finished at 2 under par.
Starnes’ play solidified a strong start for the Hoosiers, however, through the struggles of the rest of the Indiana teammates, freshman Bradley Chill Jr. shined.
Freshman Bradley Chill Jr. rose to the occasion after head coach Mike Mayer challenged him after the Hoosiers’ last tournament.
"I expect more out of Chill," Mayer said Feb. 14. "I understand he's just a freshman and has a lot of learning to do, but I have high expectations for him. Today just wasn't the best version of him."
Chill Jr. earned 22nd place, after posting a 6-over-par 222 over his three rounds, living up to Mayers expectations.
His first two rounds posted scores of 74 and 77, respectively. In the first round, he recorded four birdies and four bogeys. The second round, however, was more disappointing, with two double bogeys, three bogeys and just one birdie, causing him to fall behind in the tournament.
A strong final round saw Chill Jr. catapult up the leaderboard. He jumped 15 spots after posting a one-under-par 71 Monday with four birdies.
Other golfers on the squad struggled, including redshirt junior captain Clay Merchent, who had a solid start but faltered in the final round.
Redshirt junior captain Clay Merchent had a solid start to the tournament. He sat at 6 over par after the first two rounds but struggled in his final round. He posted an 8-over-par 80, which caused him to drop 21 spots and finish in 52nd place.
Sophomore Nick Piesen finished in 56th place with a total score of 15 over par. Throughout the tournament, Piesen struggled with consistency, as nine bogeys and five double bogeys impacted his overall performance.
Sophomore Alec Cesare finished in 75th place with a total score of 20 over par. He struggled throughout the tournament. Cesare had a triple bogey, six double bogies and 11 bogies, weighing down his scorecard, despite notching an eagle on the 11th hole in the first round.
Ultimately, Indiana men’s golf secured 10th place at the Colleton River Collegiate with a 31-over-par team score. The Hoosiers will look to rebound at The Schenkel Invitational on March 21-23 at Forest Heights Country Club in Statesboro, Georgia.
