Eastern Michigan Athletics
Monday, September 9
Maricopa, Ariz.
All Day
Eastern Michigan University
at
Southern Dunes Invitational
Chan Leads Eastern Golf to Strong Start in Arizona
9/10/2024 5:31:00 PM | Men's Golf
Senior tied for eighth at 5-under as EMU placed fifth as a team
Final Results (PDF) | Photo Gallery
MARICOPA, Ariz. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's golf team opened its 2024-25 campaign at the Southern Dunes Invitational Monday-Tuesday, Sept. 9-10, with the Eagles placing fifth overall in the eight-team event hosted by the University of Southern California at the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Course in Maricopa, Ariz., just outside Phoenix. Seven players made their debuts for the Eagles under first-year Head Coach Andy Walker, including Tim Chan (Hong Kong, China/Loretto School/New Mexico JC/VCU), who led the charge by carding a 5-under, 211 to tie for eighth place.
How It Happened
Eastern opened the tournament firing 2-over (290) in the first round before rebounding to combine to shoot a 7-under (281) in the second round, moving from a tie for seventh place up to a tie for third with the University of San Diego. In the final round, played Sept. 10, Eastern shot 2-under (286) to finish fifth overall at 7-under (857). The host Trojans of USC won the team event at 28-under (836) with Grand Canyon University (843) second at 21-under and Fresno State University (854) third at 10-under. The Toreros of USD finished fourth at nine-under (855) with Georgia State University (5-under, 859), Kansas State University (1-under, 863), and Kennesaw State University (1-over, 865) rounding out the field.
Individually, Chan was the top finisher for Eastern as he carded a 5-under (211) by shooting rounds of 71-70-70, making him the lone Eagle to break par in all three rounds. Freshman James Baxter (London, England/Highlands School & Sixth Form) was just behind as he tied for 12th in his collegiate debut at 3-under (213). Baxter carded the two lowest rounds of the tournament for Eastern as he shot 68 in the second round before closing the tournament with a 69.
A pair of seniors were next in line for Eastern with Bavake Sihota (Caledon, Ontario/Independent Learning Center/Michigan) tied for 35th with a 3-over (219) while Daniel Robles Delval (Albacete, Spain/Escuela Nacional Blume/Rogers State) was tied for 37th at 4-over (220). The final member of the team was Lucas Hughes (Bend, Ore./Central Christian/Grand Canyon), who tied for 52nd (228).
Eastern also had two individuals playing the tournament, including Matthew Rastogi (Toronto, Ontario/Bayview Glen Independent) and Pietro Fenoglio (Torino, Italy/Liceo Amerigo Vespucci/TCU). Rastogi, a freshman, finished tied for 32nd at 2-over (218) in his collegiate debut while Fenoglio shot 9-over (225) to place 49th.
Historical Notes
» Eastern's 857 strokes in the tournament tied for the 13th-lowest in program history and just two off the low total for all of last season. Last year, the Eagles shot a season-best 855 at the River Run Collegiate, Sept. 11-12, in their season opener.
» The 281 the team carded in the second round tied for the 24th-lowest score in program history.
» Tim Chan's score of 211 ranks as the third-lowest score in his collegiate career. He fired a 208 in the 2024 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional (May 13-15, 2024) and a 209 at the Hal Williams Collegiate (Feb. 13-14, 2023) for VCU.
» Bavake Sihota carded a 219 total, which tied for his second-lowest collegiate round. His lowest is the 218 he shot for Michigan at Island Resort Invitational (Sept. 4-5, 2022) and ties with the 219 he shot at the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate (April 23-24, 2022).
» Lucas Hughes played in his 13th collegiate event, but his first three-round tournament. The past two years, he played for the club team at GCU and competed in 12 events that all were just two rounds.
Up Next
The Eagles return to action with a trip to Albuquerque, N.M., for the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate, Sept. 20-21. The two-day event will be hosted by the University of New Mexico and take place on the UNM Championship Golf Course.
Results
Southern Dunes Intercollegiate
Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Course • Maricopa, Ariz.
Monday, Sept. 9-Tuesday, Sept. 10
Team Standings
1. USC • 279-273-284=836 (-28)
2. Grand Canyon • 279-286-278=843 (-21)
3. Fresno State • 276-296-282=854 (-10)
4. San Diego • 288-283-284=855 (-9)
5. Eastern Michigan • 290-281-286=857 (-7)
6. Georgia State • 289-288-282=859 (-5)
7. Kansas State • 287-289-287=863 (-1)
8. Kennesaw State • 290-289-286=865 (+1)
Individual Results (Top 5 + EMU)
1. Chris Bettencourt (FSU) • 68-67-68=203
2. Gavin Aurilia (USC) • 69-65-73=207
3. Nixon Lauritzen (GCU) • 63-73-72=208
t4. You Choi (USD) • 71-72-67=210
t4. Gavin O'Neill (GCU) • 71-68-71=210
t4. Joseph Lloyd (FSU) • 66-73-71=210
t4. Ryan Abuan (USD) • 70-66-74=210
t8. Tim Chan (EMU) • 71-70-70=211
t12. James Baxter (EMU) • 76-68-69=213
t32. Matthew Rastogi (EMU) * • 74-70-74=218
t35. Bavake Sihota (EMU) • 75-71-73=219
t37. Daniel Robles Delval (EMU) • 71-72-77=220
49. Pietro Fenoglio (EMU) * • 77-74-74=225
t52. Lucas Hughes (EMU) • 73-81-74=228
* played as an individual
MARICOPA, Ariz. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's golf team opened its 2024-25 campaign at the Southern Dunes Invitational Monday-Tuesday, Sept. 9-10, with the Eagles placing fifth overall in the eight-team event hosted by the University of Southern California at the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Course in Maricopa, Ariz., just outside Phoenix. Seven players made their debuts for the Eagles under first-year Head Coach Andy Walker, including Tim Chan (Hong Kong, China/Loretto School/New Mexico JC/VCU), who led the charge by carding a 5-under, 211 to tie for eighth place.
How It Happened
Eastern opened the tournament firing 2-over (290) in the first round before rebounding to combine to shoot a 7-under (281) in the second round, moving from a tie for seventh place up to a tie for third with the University of San Diego. In the final round, played Sept. 10, Eastern shot 2-under (286) to finish fifth overall at 7-under (857). The host Trojans of USC won the team event at 28-under (836) with Grand Canyon University (843) second at 21-under and Fresno State University (854) third at 10-under. The Toreros of USD finished fourth at nine-under (855) with Georgia State University (5-under, 859), Kansas State University (1-under, 863), and Kennesaw State University (1-over, 865) rounding out the field.
Individually, Chan was the top finisher for Eastern as he carded a 5-under (211) by shooting rounds of 71-70-70, making him the lone Eagle to break par in all three rounds. Freshman James Baxter (London, England/Highlands School & Sixth Form) was just behind as he tied for 12th in his collegiate debut at 3-under (213). Baxter carded the two lowest rounds of the tournament for Eastern as he shot 68 in the second round before closing the tournament with a 69.
A pair of seniors were next in line for Eastern with Bavake Sihota (Caledon, Ontario/Independent Learning Center/Michigan) tied for 35th with a 3-over (219) while Daniel Robles Delval (Albacete, Spain/Escuela Nacional Blume/Rogers State) was tied for 37th at 4-over (220). The final member of the team was Lucas Hughes (Bend, Ore./Central Christian/Grand Canyon), who tied for 52nd (228).
Eastern also had two individuals playing the tournament, including Matthew Rastogi (Toronto, Ontario/Bayview Glen Independent) and Pietro Fenoglio (Torino, Italy/Liceo Amerigo Vespucci/TCU). Rastogi, a freshman, finished tied for 32nd at 2-over (218) in his collegiate debut while Fenoglio shot 9-over (225) to place 49th.
Historical Notes
» Eastern's 857 strokes in the tournament tied for the 13th-lowest in program history and just two off the low total for all of last season. Last year, the Eagles shot a season-best 855 at the River Run Collegiate, Sept. 11-12, in their season opener.
» The 281 the team carded in the second round tied for the 24th-lowest score in program history.
» Tim Chan's score of 211 ranks as the third-lowest score in his collegiate career. He fired a 208 in the 2024 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional (May 13-15, 2024) and a 209 at the Hal Williams Collegiate (Feb. 13-14, 2023) for VCU.
» Bavake Sihota carded a 219 total, which tied for his second-lowest collegiate round. His lowest is the 218 he shot for Michigan at Island Resort Invitational (Sept. 4-5, 2022) and ties with the 219 he shot at the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate (April 23-24, 2022).
» Lucas Hughes played in his 13th collegiate event, but his first three-round tournament. The past two years, he played for the club team at GCU and competed in 12 events that all were just two rounds.
Up Next
The Eagles return to action with a trip to Albuquerque, N.M., for the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate, Sept. 20-21. The two-day event will be hosted by the University of New Mexico and take place on the UNM Championship Golf Course.
Results
Southern Dunes Intercollegiate
Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Course • Maricopa, Ariz.
Monday, Sept. 9-Tuesday, Sept. 10
Team Standings
1. USC • 279-273-284=836 (-28)
2. Grand Canyon • 279-286-278=843 (-21)
3. Fresno State • 276-296-282=854 (-10)
4. San Diego • 288-283-284=855 (-9)
5. Eastern Michigan • 290-281-286=857 (-7)
6. Georgia State • 289-288-282=859 (-5)
7. Kansas State • 287-289-287=863 (-1)
8. Kennesaw State • 290-289-286=865 (+1)
Individual Results (Top 5 + EMU)
1. Chris Bettencourt (FSU) • 68-67-68=203
2. Gavin Aurilia (USC) • 69-65-73=207
3. Nixon Lauritzen (GCU) • 63-73-72=208
t4. You Choi (USD) • 71-72-67=210
t4. Gavin O'Neill (GCU) • 71-68-71=210
t4. Joseph Lloyd (FSU) • 66-73-71=210
t4. Ryan Abuan (USD) • 70-66-74=210
t8. Tim Chan (EMU) • 71-70-70=211
t12. James Baxter (EMU) • 76-68-69=213
t32. Matthew Rastogi (EMU) * • 74-70-74=218
t35. Bavake Sihota (EMU) • 75-71-73=219
t37. Daniel Robles Delval (EMU) • 71-72-77=220
49. Pietro Fenoglio (EMU) * • 77-74-74=225
t52. Lucas Hughes (EMU) • 73-81-74=228
* played as an individual
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
Bruce Cunnimgham's Comments - GameAbove Golf Performance Center
Wednesday, January 17
Cam Kellett's Comments - GameAbove Golf Performance Center
Wednesday, January 17
Scott Wetherbee's Comments - GameAbove Golf Performance Center
Wednesday, January 17
President Jim Smith's Comments - GameAbove Golf Performance Center
Wednesday, January 17