Momentum Heading Into MIAC Meet
Concordia fired a season-best team score of 299 in the final round of the weather shortened Twin Cites Classic.
ELK RIVER, Minn. (9/25/17)---The final round of the Twin Cities Classic was a case of bad news, good news for the Cobbers. The bad news is that the last round of the three-day tournament was cancelled due to heavy rain and lightning. The good news is that Concordia will finish the meet with a two-round total of 612 which included a 299 on Sunday and helped them jump into a tie for sixth place in the final team standings.
The weather shortened tournament means Concordia will take a big shot of momentum headed into the MIAC Championship Meet this weekend. The 299 team score that CC posted on Sunday was the second lowest of any team on the day. It also marks the second straight tournament where the Cobbers have "gone low" on Day 2.
The second-day success on Sunday was fueled by Concordia having all five of its top players shoot in the 70's.
The Kahlbaugh brothers once again stepped to the forefront of the Concordia team. Nathaniel Kahlbaugh shot the lowest score of any CC golfer over the weekend as he posted a 73 on Sunday. That score is the lowest of the season by any Cobber athlete. Blake Kahlbaugh shot two very good rounds and led the team in the final individual standings. He started with a 74 and then came back with a 75 to end with 149 which was good for a tie for 10th place.
Blake Kahlbaugh has now led the Cobbers in two straight tournaments and his T10th place finish marks the first time in his college career that he has posted a Top 10 finish in a multi-team, conference filled invite.
Blake Kahlbaugh leads the team in scoring this season with a 78.6 average which is less than a stroke better than his brother Nathaniel who has a 78.8 scoring average over the three events this year.
Unfortunately for Nathaniel Kahlbaugh he stumbled on Saturday at the Twin Cities Classic, shot an 84 and finished as the team's No.4 golfer with a total of 157.
Gage Stromme finally put two solid back-to-back scores together in a tournament and came home as the No.2 Cobber finisher. He carded a 76 on Day 1 and then a 78 on Sunday to put up a total of 154 and place in tie for the No.30 spot at the tournament. Stromme has fired lower individual scores in the first two meets of the year but the Twin Cities Classic marks the first time all year he has recorded two rounds in the 70's and his final total is his lowest of the year.
Aaron Ryback and Jared Lind were the final two Cobbers to shoot scores in the 70's on Sunday. Ryback opened with an 80 on Day 1 but then rallied to shoot 76 on Sunday to finish at 156 and a tie for 35th place. His two-day total is also a season best and his 76 on Day 2 is his lowest round of the season.
Like Ryback, Lind was in the 80's on Saturday but then regrouped and finished on a high note on Sunday. He carded an 83 in the opening round but then found his swing and fired a 75 on Sunday. The 75 is his low round of the year.
WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will hope to carry the momentum from Sunday's team total of 299 into the MIAC Championship Meet this weekend. The Cobbers will tee it up at the Ridges at Sand Creek GC in Jordan on Sept. 30-Oct. 2. The conference is playing at the Ridges due to course maintenance at Bunker Hills – the usual host for the MIAC Championship Meet.