Howie-In-The-Hills, Fla. – The Youngstown State men's golf team had its best round of the Horizon League Championships on Monday firing a 292 at the Mission Inn Resort's El Campeon Golf Course.
YSU's final round was 17 shots better than each of its first two days of the event. Capitalizing on the strong effort was Ryan Sam who placed ninth with a three-round total of 222 (75-76-71). Jake Ryan finished an impressive 13th with a total of 225 (76-78-71).
The strong finish to the tournament left the Penguins with a three-round score of 910. In the team standings, Youngstown State placed seventh, one shot ahead of Northern Kentucky and one back of sixth-place Green Bay.
After two rounds YSU was in ninth place ahead of just Purdue Fort Wayne, but it was able to climb past Detroit Mercy and NKU and nearly caught Green Bay on the final day.
Wright State won the event with an 881 while Cleveland State was second and IU Indy third.
For the second straight day the Guins opened on the back nine and came out sizzling.
After a tough start on No. 10, the five golfers combined for eight birdies and two eagles, both by Jake Ryan, on the back side to get as high as fifth on the leaderboard.
Ryan had a birdie at 13 to get back to even par before consecutive eagles at the par-4 13th and the par-5 14th got him to four under. After a double bogey on No. 16, he had a birdie on No. 17 and was three-under on the back nine. He pared six straight holes before a bogey and double bogey on consecutive holes but birdied the eighth to card a one-under par 71.
Sam also finished with a 71 recording 13 pars, three birdies and a pair of bogeys. He opened with a bogey on No. 10, but registered birdies at No. 14, No. 17 and No. 2 for his one-under par round.
Nolan Shilling had his best round of the tournament on Monday with a 74. Shilling went three under on the back nine with birdies at No. 10, No. 13 and No. 14. On the front side he managed a birdie at No. 4 to finish with a 74. Overall, he had a three-day total of 231.
Jordan Kish also had his best round of the event finishing with a 76. Kish was two-under par after his first five holes on Monday with birdies at No. 12 and No. 14. On the front side he added a birdie at No. 2. His three-round total for the tournament was 234.
Jacob Sylak, playing in his final round for the Penguins, carded an 80. Sylak's round was highlighted by a birdie at the par-5 first. It was his best round at the tournament by six shots.
