Men’s golf wraps up grueling 54-hole competition at French Lick

FRENCH LICK, Ind. – Defiance College men's golf wrapped up their first 54-hole tournament of the 2022-23 season at the DIII Showcase at the Donald Ross Course of French Lick Resort. The competition was divided into two rounds of 18 played on Monday with the final 18 on Tuesday.

Seth Pearson (Fort Wayne, Ind./Northrop) fired the program's lowest round of the year with an 89 on Tuesday. After an opening par on the first, he played 12 over par for the next eight holes until the turn. Over the back nine, Pearson got dialed in and parred five times to post a 42 for the back half of the course. Pearson got stronger as the tournament progressed, shooting a 102 early on Monday followed by a 99 to close the first day before the low card on Tuesday. Pearson also recorded a birdie on the eighth to help stay under the century mark in round two.

Zach Canterbury (Tontogany, Ohio/Otsego) was the top golfer for Defiance on Monday with rounds of 101 and 98 before turning in a 109 on Tuesday. His first-day score of 199 would have been good enough for Canterbury's best 36-hole score if the tournament was limited to two rounds, previously set at 206 over the weekend at the Polar Bear Easter Classic.

Payton Switzer (Defiance, Ohio/Defiance), Grant Johnson (Waynesville, Ohio/Waynesville) and Will Garlock (Lima, Ohio/Lima Central Catholic) all battled through three rounds over 100. Switzer started with a 118 before improving to 115 and 112 by Tuesday. Johnson's first round of 118 was his best 18-hole effort during his short time with the program. His final two rounds totaled 123 and 144. Garlock also beat his 138 stroke average in all three rounds with cards of 135, 124 and 133. 

As a team, the Yellow Jackets posted a score of 1317 for the tournament and finished ninth among the nine teams competing. However, Monday's second round of 435 was the second-lowest team scorecard of the season with Tuesday highlighted by Pearson's final 18 holes.

Wittenberg took home the team and individual titles with an 881 team total while JF Aber turned in three rounds below par at 69, 67 and 66 to stand alone atop the leaderboard.

The next competition for men's golf is their own Jacket Invitational at Eagle Rock Golf Course in Defiance on Wednesday, April 26.

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