Eastern Michigan Athletics
Monday, April 28
Grove City, Ohio
All Day
Eastern Michigan University
at
MAC Championship
Photo by: Mid-American Conference
Eagles Remain in Lead at MAC Men's Golf Championships
4/28/2025 4:59:00 PM | Men's Golf
McDonald-O'Brien holds four-stroke lead for medalist honors as team leads by three
Live Scoring | MAC Championship Page
GROVE CITY, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Rory McDonald-O'Brien took over the lead for medalist honors and the Eastern Michigan University men's golf team is one round away from claiming its fourth conference crown as the Eagles continue to lead the standings at the 2025 Mid-American Conference Championships at Pinnacle Golf Club in Grove City, Ohio, following the second round of action Monday, April 28. Eastern, who was tied for first place following the first round, saw three players shoot under par to help EMU to a three-stroke lead in the team standings.
As a team, Eastern leads the way at 15-under 561 after shooting 276 (-12) on the day to build a three-stroke lead on No. 78 Kent State University, who is second at 12-under 564 (288-276). Northern Illinois University, who was tied for first with the Eagles following the first round, sits third at 4-under 572 (285-287) while the top five includes defending champion Ball State University at 1-over 577 (293-284) and No. 96 Miami University at 3-over 579 (297-282) in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Overall, the 276 strokes in round stand as the seventh-lowest in program history for the Eagles and the second-lowest in a MAC event, trailing the 274 shots in round three of the 2007 event. It also ranks as the lowest score EMU has recorded in the second round of the MAC Championships in program history.
Individually, McDonald-O'Brien (Shrewsbury, England/Shrewsbury School/South Carolina Aiken) took over the top spot in the standings as he shot 7-under 65 on the day to move to 10-under 134 (69-65) and build a four-stroke lead over No. 95 Jordan Gilkison (Kent State), who is 6-under 138 (71-67). McDonald-O'Brien, who aced the par-3, 214-yard 14th hole, was 6-under on the back nine to build his lead and post a round of 65, the lowest ever recorded by an EMU player at the MAC Championships, surpassing the 66 Brett White shot in 2016. The eighth-lowest score in program history, McDonald-O'Brien carded his 12th round of 69 or better in his collegiate career and, for the third time, has posted back-to-back rounds of 69 or better. The last time he accomplished the feat was March 4-5, 2024, at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate when he shot 68-68-70=207 to win the event for the University of South Carolina Aiken.
Tim Chan (Hong Kong, China/Loretto School/New Mexico JC/VCU) made a big move up the standings as he shot 67 on the day to climb from a tie for 25th into a tie for sixth at 2-under 142 (75-67). Chan, whose 19-place improvement was bettered only by Miami's Cameron Pero, who rose 24 spots, saw his 67 tie for the 32nd-best round in program history while marking his 21st career round of 69 or better (fifth time at EMU) while posting a score of 67 or better for the eighth time. Additionally, he has now shot 69 or better in the second round of a tournament 11 times.
James Baxter (London, England/Highlands School & Sixth Form), the first-round leader, fell back to a tie for 13th place at Even-par 144 (67-77) while Daniel Robles Delval (Albacete, Spain/Escuela Nacional Blume/Rogers State) joined Baxter at 13th after rounds of 74 and 70. Bavake Sihota (Caledon, Ontario/Independent Learning Center/Michigan) rounds out the Eagles in the field as he sits tied for 34th at 7-over 151 (77-74).
Up Next
The third and final round of play at the 2025 MAC Championships is slated to begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 29. The Eagles are in the final group and will start their round at 9:50 a.m. off the first tee with the remaining four players following in 10-minute intervals. Should things remain the same at the end of the third round, EMU would secure its fourth MAC title and its first since 2019 while also claiming individual medalist honors for just the second time and the first since Graham Hill won in 2007.
Results
MAC Championships
Pinnacle Golf Club • Grove City, Ohio
Par 72 • 7,463 yards • 54 holes
Sunday-Tuesday, April 27-29, 2025
Team Standings After Day 2
1. Eastern Michigan • 285-276=561 (-15)
2. #78 Kent State • 288-276=564 (-12)
3. Northern Illinois • 285-287=572 (-4)
4. Ball State • 293-284=577 (+1)
5. #96 Miami • 297-282=579 (+3)
6. Toledo • 289-292=581 (+5)
7. Bowling Green • 297-288=585 (+9)
8. Ohio • 308-290=598 (+22)
9. Central Michigan • 303-305=608 (+32)
only top 100 rankings listed
Individual Results (Top 10 + EMU)
1. Rory McDonald-O'Brien (EM) • 69-65=134 (-10)
2. #95 Jordan Gilkison (KS) • 71-67=138 (-6)
3. Craig Long II (NI) • 68-72=140 (-4)
3. Evan Johnson (BGS) • 71-69=140 (-4)
5. Isaiah Ibit (KS) • 72-69=141 (-3)
6. Tim Chan (EM) • 75-67=142 (-2)
6. Jamie Butler (TOL) • 70-72=142 (-2)
6. Bryce Reed (KS) • 73-69=142 (-2)
9. Avery Mahoney (BS) • 70-73=143 (-1)
9. Felix Krammer (NI) • 73-70=143 (-1)
9. Carter Smith (BS) • 73-70=143 (-1)
9. Darin Hudak (BGS) • 74-69=143 (-1)
-------
t13. James Baxter • 67-77=144 (E)
t13. Daniel Robles Delval • 74-70=144 (E)
t34. Bavake Sihota • 77-74=151 (+7)
only top 200 rankings listed
GROVE CITY, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Rory McDonald-O'Brien took over the lead for medalist honors and the Eastern Michigan University men's golf team is one round away from claiming its fourth conference crown as the Eagles continue to lead the standings at the 2025 Mid-American Conference Championships at Pinnacle Golf Club in Grove City, Ohio, following the second round of action Monday, April 28. Eastern, who was tied for first place following the first round, saw three players shoot under par to help EMU to a three-stroke lead in the team standings.
As a team, Eastern leads the way at 15-under 561 after shooting 276 (-12) on the day to build a three-stroke lead on No. 78 Kent State University, who is second at 12-under 564 (288-276). Northern Illinois University, who was tied for first with the Eagles following the first round, sits third at 4-under 572 (285-287) while the top five includes defending champion Ball State University at 1-over 577 (293-284) and No. 96 Miami University at 3-over 579 (297-282) in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Overall, the 276 strokes in round stand as the seventh-lowest in program history for the Eagles and the second-lowest in a MAC event, trailing the 274 shots in round three of the 2007 event. It also ranks as the lowest score EMU has recorded in the second round of the MAC Championships in program history.
Individually, McDonald-O'Brien (Shrewsbury, England/Shrewsbury School/South Carolina Aiken) took over the top spot in the standings as he shot 7-under 65 on the day to move to 10-under 134 (69-65) and build a four-stroke lead over No. 95 Jordan Gilkison (Kent State), who is 6-under 138 (71-67). McDonald-O'Brien, who aced the par-3, 214-yard 14th hole, was 6-under on the back nine to build his lead and post a round of 65, the lowest ever recorded by an EMU player at the MAC Championships, surpassing the 66 Brett White shot in 2016. The eighth-lowest score in program history, McDonald-O'Brien carded his 12th round of 69 or better in his collegiate career and, for the third time, has posted back-to-back rounds of 69 or better. The last time he accomplished the feat was March 4-5, 2024, at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate when he shot 68-68-70=207 to win the event for the University of South Carolina Aiken.
Tim Chan (Hong Kong, China/Loretto School/New Mexico JC/VCU) made a big move up the standings as he shot 67 on the day to climb from a tie for 25th into a tie for sixth at 2-under 142 (75-67). Chan, whose 19-place improvement was bettered only by Miami's Cameron Pero, who rose 24 spots, saw his 67 tie for the 32nd-best round in program history while marking his 21st career round of 69 or better (fifth time at EMU) while posting a score of 67 or better for the eighth time. Additionally, he has now shot 69 or better in the second round of a tournament 11 times.
James Baxter (London, England/Highlands School & Sixth Form), the first-round leader, fell back to a tie for 13th place at Even-par 144 (67-77) while Daniel Robles Delval (Albacete, Spain/Escuela Nacional Blume/Rogers State) joined Baxter at 13th after rounds of 74 and 70. Bavake Sihota (Caledon, Ontario/Independent Learning Center/Michigan) rounds out the Eagles in the field as he sits tied for 34th at 7-over 151 (77-74).
Up Next
The third and final round of play at the 2025 MAC Championships is slated to begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 29. The Eagles are in the final group and will start their round at 9:50 a.m. off the first tee with the remaining four players following in 10-minute intervals. Should things remain the same at the end of the third round, EMU would secure its fourth MAC title and its first since 2019 while also claiming individual medalist honors for just the second time and the first since Graham Hill won in 2007.
Results
MAC Championships
Pinnacle Golf Club • Grove City, Ohio
Par 72 • 7,463 yards • 54 holes
Sunday-Tuesday, April 27-29, 2025
Team Standings After Day 2
1. Eastern Michigan • 285-276=561 (-15)
2. #78 Kent State • 288-276=564 (-12)
3. Northern Illinois • 285-287=572 (-4)
4. Ball State • 293-284=577 (+1)
5. #96 Miami • 297-282=579 (+3)
6. Toledo • 289-292=581 (+5)
7. Bowling Green • 297-288=585 (+9)
8. Ohio • 308-290=598 (+22)
9. Central Michigan • 303-305=608 (+32)
only top 100 rankings listed
Individual Results (Top 10 + EMU)
1. Rory McDonald-O'Brien (EM) • 69-65=134 (-10)
2. #95 Jordan Gilkison (KS) • 71-67=138 (-6)
3. Craig Long II (NI) • 68-72=140 (-4)
3. Evan Johnson (BGS) • 71-69=140 (-4)
5. Isaiah Ibit (KS) • 72-69=141 (-3)
6. Tim Chan (EM) • 75-67=142 (-2)
6. Jamie Butler (TOL) • 70-72=142 (-2)
6. Bryce Reed (KS) • 73-69=142 (-2)
9. Avery Mahoney (BS) • 70-73=143 (-1)
9. Felix Krammer (NI) • 73-70=143 (-1)
9. Carter Smith (BS) • 73-70=143 (-1)
9. Darin Hudak (BGS) • 74-69=143 (-1)
-------
t13. James Baxter • 67-77=144 (E)
t13. Daniel Robles Delval • 74-70=144 (E)
t34. Bavake Sihota • 77-74=151 (+7)
only top 200 rankings listed
Players Mentioned
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