WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – The North Dakota State men's golf team picked up its first tournament victory of the season on Tuesday as the Bison were crowned co-champions of the Zach Johnson Invitational long with host Drake University.
The Bison overcame a five-shot deficit midway through the final round to share in the team victory with Drake, as the two teams finished at +1 for the tournament with a team score of 853. The final score of 853 is also the fifth best 54-hole tournament score for the Bison in program history.
It is the first tournament victory for the Bison this season, but the third victory in the last five tournaments overall for NDSU dating back to last season. The Bison had individuals card seven rounds under par in the three-round event, a season best and the most since carding eight rounds under par at the Golfweek Spring Invitational last April.
Freshman
Beck Erholtz led the way for the Bison on Tuesday, as he carded his first collegiate round under par with a -2 score of 69. Erholtz scored five birdies in his final round, along with 10 pars to climb the leaderboard 21 places and finish 20
th overall. Erholtz finished the tournament with 10 birdies and also had an eagle as he finished at +5 overall.
Nate Adams led the way for the Bison taking fourth overall, as he carded his third-straight round of 70 to finish at -3 for the tournament. After five pars to start his round, Adams had back-to-back bogeys. However, he would go on to card three birdies and eight pars over the final 11 holes to finish at -1 for the day.
Adams' 210 for the tournament is tied for the 11
th best 54-hole tournament score for the Bison in program history and is also a career best score for the sophomore by five shots over a 215 at the Golfweek Spring Invitational last April.
Finishing one shot behind Adams for the tournament was
Brock Winter, who finished with a 74 on the final day. Winter had four birdies in the round, but closed with a bogey and double bogey, falling from second to a tie for sixth overall.
Winter's 211 for the tournament is the 14
th best 54-hole tournament score for the Bison and also a personal best by two shots over a 213 at the Ron Moore Invitational in October of 2019.
Josh Galvin rounded out the scoring for the Bison on Tuesday as he carded a +2 round of 73. He moved four spots up the leaderboard to finish in 23
rd in the 84-golfer field.
After carding his first round in the 60s for the Bison on Monday, the freshman finished at +6 for the tournament, three shots better than his first tournament at the K-State Wildcat Invitational two weeks ago.
NDSU will be back in action next week, as the Bison travel to Colorado to take part in the Ron Moore Invitational hosted by Denver University at the Colorado Golf Club on October 4-5.
