NAPERVILLE — Spring has arrived for the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) men’s golf programs, and March competition has taken several teams across the South and Midwest ahead of the championship portion of the season. 
 
League teams recorded team titles, high finishes and notable individual results during the opening weeks of the spring schedule, while another busy stretch of competition is set to return several programs to Illinois in the days ahead.
 
A Peach of a Performance in Georgia
Illinois Wesleyan, ranked No. 8 nationally, competed at the Jekyll Island Invitational, a three-day event that concluded on March 22. The Titans tied for seventh in a 30-team field with a 54-hole score of 849, good for 15-under par. 
 
Sophomore Pablo Castro turned in a career-best showing, tying for third individually at 12-under par with rounds of 67, 69, and 68 for a 204. His total stands as the second-lowest 54-hole score in program history and led to his selection as the CCIW Men’s Golf Student-Athlete of the Week on Wednesday. 
 
Senior Michael Spitzer also finished under par, tying for 17th at 211, while senior Juney Bai tied for 29th at 213 after closing with an eagle and five birdies in his final round. Aidan Healy tied for 77th at 221, and Myles Lahart tied for 95th at 224.
 
Vikings Chart a Course Through Tennessee and Indiana
Augustana posted strong results during two March trips. The Vikings finished second among 15 teams at the Music City Shootout in Springfield, Tenn., an event that concluded on March 8, with a team score of 613. Freshman Calvin Short and Camden Flack tied for eighth at 151 to lead the lineup, Liam Shannon tied for 13th at 152, and Jacob Brokaw added a top-20 finish with a 154. 
 
Augustana later placed fifth at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate in Terre Haute, Ind. on March 22. Short again led the team, tying for fifth with a 143 over two days, while Anis Rezzoug tied for 14th at 146. Vaughn Henagan, Shannon, and Brokaw each tied for 25th with scores of 149.
 
Blue Skies at the Dan Salisbury Memorial
Millikin competed at the Dan Salisbury Memorial Invitational at Red Tail Run Golf Course in Springfield, where play concluded last Tuesday, March 24. The Big Blue entered two teams, and the top unit tied for fourth with a 585. 
 
Senior Jack Bollinger was the program’s top finisher after opening with a 69 and placing seventh overall at 143. Junior Jake Krstulovich tied for 11th with a 145. On the final day, freshman Luke Butler posted an even-par 72 to lead the team, while Martin Ammeux and Will Ross each shot 71. Ammeux’s finish placed him in a tie for 14th individually.
 
Firebirds Set the Pace at Perry Park
Carthage opened its spring schedule with a team title at the Klash in Kentucky, held last Saturday and Sunday. The Firebirds shot 307 and 304 for a winning total of 611, finishing 27-over par.
 
Brett Vandergrift claimed medalist honors with a 147, one-over par for the tournament, while Ethan Fasch finished second at 154. James Tyrrell and Tayt Hager each tied for eighth with scores of 158, giving Carthage four players in the top 10. The Firebirds’ second team also produced solid results, as Logan Westman and Joey Luna tied for 11th at 159 and Jacob Jenkins placed 13th at 160.
 
Vikings Navigate the Bluegrass State
North Park also competed at the Klash in Kentucky at Perry Park Golf Resort last weekend, finishing third in the six-team field with rounds of 316 and 319 for a 635. Freshman Lucan Meade led the Vikings with a fourth-place finish in the 35-player field, shooting 79 in the opening round and 76 in the second round for a total of 155. Felix Petersson placed seventh after recording three birdies in the first round and two more in the second. 
 
Jack Groves finished 13th, helped by a front-nine 36 on Saturday that included five pars and two birdies. Sophomore Tommy Taylor also contributed with a 75 in the opening round.
 
Cardinal Gains on the Florida Coast
North Central began its spring season at Fernandina Golf Club in Florida, finishing eighth in a 54-hole event that concluded on March 10. Freshman Lundaa Hayanhirvaa paced the Cardinals with a 32nd-place finish after carding a 231 over three rounds. Jake Delaney followed one shot back at 232 to tie for 36th. Senior Nicholas Zaimins recorded a career-low 75 in his opening round and finished the event at 235, while Rylan Lother closed with a 74 and tied for 42nd at 234.
 
Standing Tall in the National Rankings
Illinois Wesleyan continued to represent the conference in the national rankings, checking in at No. 8 in the Bushnell/Golfweek Division III Coaches Poll released last Friday. The Titans received 275 points following their performance in Georgia and remain the only CCIW team in the top 25. 
 
Millikin previously received votes in the fall poll. Huntingdon held the No. 1 position with all 15 first-place votes, followed by Washington and Lee and Carnegie Mellon.
 
All Roads Lead to Bloomington
Several conference teams are scheduled to return to action this Friday at the IWU Invite, hosted by Illinois Wesleyan in Normal. The two-day event will be contested at Ironwood Golf Course on Friday and Weibring Golf Course on Saturday. 
 
Augustana, Carroll, Carthage, Illinois Wesleyan, Millikin, North Central, North Park and Wheaton are slated to participate. Beyond that event, North Park is set to compete at the Judson Invitational next Monday, and Carthage and Carroll are scheduled to play in the Firebird Spring Invite next Thursday, April 9.