Mathers earns sixth career win as Huntingdon wins Rhodes Classic
TUNICA, Miss. – Huntingdon senior Drew Mathers broke Huntingdon's NCAA-era record for career wins and the third-ranked men's golf team won its first tournament of the fall season on Monday in the Rhodes College Fall Classic.
A day after setting Huntingdon's NCAA-era record with a round of 7-under-par, Mathers closed the tournament at Tunica National Golf Resort with a 5-under 67 and won the tournament by three strokes with a 14-under 202.
The win was Mathers' second straight, his fourth in his last five tournaments and the sixth of his Huntingdon career. The six career wins sets a new NCAA-era record for the Hawks, breaking the previous record of five held by Mathers and former All-American Chase Blaich.
Mathers' 14-under 202 in the tournament also broke the program's NCAA-era records for best 54-hole total and most strokes under-par for 54 holes. Former All-American Stephen Shephard set the previous records with a 12-under 204 last season.
As a team, Huntingdon ran away with the tournament title, winning by 27 strokes. After shooting a 2-over 290 and an 8-under 280 in the first two rounds to build a nine-stroke lead, the Hawks wrapped up the tournament with a 12-under 276 in the final round and won with an 18-under 846.
Fourteenth-ranked Southwestern was second with a 9-over 873.
Huntingdon's 12-under on Monday tied the program's NCAA-era team record for most strokes under-par in a single round. The final-round 276 was the second best single-round team score for Huntingdon as a NCAA program and the three-round 846 was the Hawks' third best 54-hole total during the NCAA era.
Junior Owen Burt, in his first season with Huntingdon, turned in best round so far as a Hawk with a 4-under 68 in the final round and sophomore Carson Whitton shot a 2-under 70 on Monday.
Whitton and Burt both joined Mathers in the top-10 of the tournament. Whitton tied for fourth with a 4-under 212 and Burt tied for 10th with an even-par 216.
Junior Ben Harris shot a 1-over 73 in the final round and tied for 25th with a 5-over 221 and junior Connor Bruce shot a 1-under 71 in the final round and tied for 28th with a 6-over 222.
Playing as an individual, sophomore Cody Argade turned in a 1-over 73 in the final round and tied for 18th with a 3-over 219.
Coming Up: Huntingdon will play in the Gordin Classic beginning on Sept. 30.