Eastern Michigan Athletics
Tuesday, May 5
Zionsville, IN
9 a.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
MAC Championships
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
McDonald-O'Brien Repeats at MAC Golf Runner-Up
5/5/2026 5:33:00 PM | Men's Golf
Senior became the first Eastern player to record a pair of top two finishes in a career
Results | Photos
ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – Rory McDonald-O'Brien battled the weather and the field to finish second overall and help Eastern Michigan University to a third-place team finish as the 2026 Mid-American Conference Championships ended at The Club at Holliday Farms in Zionsville, Ind., May 5. The senior, who placed second last year, led the Eagles to consecutive third-place showings at the MAC Championships as the Eagles posted their 15th top three finish in the conference event.
As a team, Eastern shot 30-over 314 on the final day to finish third overall at 46-over 898 (288-296-314). Miami University captured the team title at 28-over 880 while Northern Illinois University was second at 35-over 887. Kent State University, the 2025 champion, finished fourth at 56-over 908 while Bowling Green State University rounded out the top five in fifth at 57-over 909.
Individually, McDonald-O'Brien (Shrewsbury, England/Shrewsbury School/USC-Aiken) shot 5-over 218 (70-75-73) to post the third-lowest 54-hole score at the MAC Championship event in program history to secure his second consecutive runner-up finish. He was one stroke off the winning score of 4-over 217 posted by Miami's Liam Nelson and was one stroke ahead of two players that tied for third at 6-over 219 in Angelo Luciani of Bowling Green and Liam Curtis of Kent State. The finish for McDonald-O'Brien marked the first time in program history an Eastern player has finished second in consecutive conference tournaments and posting consecutive top five finishes for just the second time in program history behind Cam Burke, who tied for fifth in 2009 and fourth in 2010. For his finish, McDonald-O'Brien earned MAC All-Tournament Team honors as well.
Three other Eagles placed in the top 25 with Joshua Hess (Schattdorf, Switzerland/Montverde Academy (Fla.)) leading the way as he tied for 15th at 12-over 225 (70-72-83). He was followed in the standings by Robby Turnbull (Auckland, New Zealand/Selwyn College), who tied for 17th at 13-over 226 (74-72-80), and Charlie Box (Leicester, England/Wreake Valley Academy/Hutchinson CC), who tied for 24th at 17-over 230 (74-78-78). Leo Mihaich (Bell Ville, Argentina/Figuero Alcorta Normal School/Oklahoma Christian) played as a substitute and shot 12-over 83 on the final day.
Individual Notes
» Rory McDonald-O'Brien finished as the runner-up at the MAC Championships for the second consecutive year and earned MAC All-Tournament honors with his finishes. His 5-over 218 ranked as the third-best 54-hole score at the MAC event for an Eastern player as well.
» With his consecutive runner-up finishes, Rory McDonald-O'Brien became the 13th player in program history to record two or more top 10 finishes in the conference event and the first to do so since Kyle Rodes at the 2016 and 2017 events where he finished tied for second and tied for eighth, respectively. He also is the 10th in program history to earn top 10 finishes in consecutive MAC Championships.
» Rory McDonald-O'Brien became the third Eastern player to record a pair of top five finishes at the MAC Championships in a career, joining Cam Burke and Nick Carbary on the list. Burke was the first to accomplish the feat as he finished tied for fifth in 2009 before taking fourth in 2010 with Carbary finishing fourth in 2009 and tied for fifth in 2011.
» Rory McDonald-O'Brien's back-to-back runner-up finishes are the lowest combined placements in consecutive MAC Championships in program history. The record was previously held by Bob McNiff with a total of eight as he tied for sixth in 1984 before placing second in 1985.
» Rory McDonald-O'Brien competed in four conference championships in his career, including two Peach Belt Conference Championships with the University of South Carolina Aiken and two MAC Championships with Eastern. His runner-up showing this year marked his third career top 10 finish as he tied for seventh at the 2023 PBC event while also standing as his fourth top 20 showing after placing tied for 16th at the 2024 PBC event.
Team Notes
» Eastern finished third for the sixth time in program history to record its 15th top three finish at the MAC Championships. The Eagles first played in the tournament in 1973 and posted back-to-back top three finishes for the first time since the 2015 and 2016 events when they placed third and second, respectively.
» The 898 strokes recorded over three days tied for the fifth-best score in program history at the MAC Championships.
Up Next
Eastern will now wait to see if its season will continue as an at-large selection into the NCAA Regionals or the National Golf Invitational. The NCAA Selection Show is scheduled to air live on Golf Channel at 2 p.m. ET, May 6, with selections for the NGI, which will be composed of teams not selected by the NCAA, to follow later.
Results
2026 MAC Championships
The Club at Holliday Farms • Zionsville, Ind.
Sunday-Tuesday, May 3-5, 2026
Par 71 • 7,349 yards
FINAL • Team Standings
1. Miami • 296-289-295=880 (+28)
2. Northern Illinois • 297-296-294=887 (+35)
3. Eastern Michigan [#98] • 288-296-314=898 (+46)
4. Kent State • 304-303-301=908 (+56)
5. Bowling Green • 305-302-302=909 (+57)
6. Ball State • 308-299-303=910 (+58)
7. Central Michigan • 300-303-316=919 (+67)
8. Ohio • 311-304-311=926 (+74)
9. Toledo • 318-306-314=938 (+86)
Top 100 rankings (April 30 Scoreboard/Clippd) listed
Individual Results (Top 10)
1. Liam Nelson (MU) • 70-76-71=217 (+4)
2. Rory McDonald-O'Brien (EM) • 70-75-73=218 (+5)
t3. Angelo Luciani (BG) • 73-73-73=219 (+6)
t3. Liam Curtis (KS) • 77-72-70=219 (+6)
t5. Bence Kotel (UT) • 76-69-76=221 (+8)
t5. Patrick Raupp (NI) • 69-73-79=221 (+8)
t5. Nathaniel Gray Lamont (NI) • 75-77-69=221 (+8)
t8. Devin Swoyer (NI) • 74-76-72=222 (+9)
t8. Nolan Haynes (KS) • 74-74-74=222 (+9)
t10. Happy Gilmore (BS) • 75-74-74=223 (+10)
t10. Cameron Pero (MU) • 76-75-72=223 (+10)
t10. Avery Mahoney (BS) • 78-71-74=223 (+10)
----------------------------------
t15. Joshua Hess • 70-72-83=225 (+12)
t17. Robby Turnbull • 74-72-80=226 (+13)
t24. Charlie Box • 74-78-78=230 (+17)
n/a Leo Mihaich • 77-sub-83=160 (+18)
n/a Tim Chan • sub-77-sub=77 (+6)
Top 200 individual rankings (April 30 Scoreboard/Clippd) listed
ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – Rory McDonald-O'Brien battled the weather and the field to finish second overall and help Eastern Michigan University to a third-place team finish as the 2026 Mid-American Conference Championships ended at The Club at Holliday Farms in Zionsville, Ind., May 5. The senior, who placed second last year, led the Eagles to consecutive third-place showings at the MAC Championships as the Eagles posted their 15th top three finish in the conference event.
As a team, Eastern shot 30-over 314 on the final day to finish third overall at 46-over 898 (288-296-314). Miami University captured the team title at 28-over 880 while Northern Illinois University was second at 35-over 887. Kent State University, the 2025 champion, finished fourth at 56-over 908 while Bowling Green State University rounded out the top five in fifth at 57-over 909.
Individually, McDonald-O'Brien (Shrewsbury, England/Shrewsbury School/USC-Aiken) shot 5-over 218 (70-75-73) to post the third-lowest 54-hole score at the MAC Championship event in program history to secure his second consecutive runner-up finish. He was one stroke off the winning score of 4-over 217 posted by Miami's Liam Nelson and was one stroke ahead of two players that tied for third at 6-over 219 in Angelo Luciani of Bowling Green and Liam Curtis of Kent State. The finish for McDonald-O'Brien marked the first time in program history an Eastern player has finished second in consecutive conference tournaments and posting consecutive top five finishes for just the second time in program history behind Cam Burke, who tied for fifth in 2009 and fourth in 2010. For his finish, McDonald-O'Brien earned MAC All-Tournament Team honors as well.
Three other Eagles placed in the top 25 with Joshua Hess (Schattdorf, Switzerland/Montverde Academy (Fla.)) leading the way as he tied for 15th at 12-over 225 (70-72-83). He was followed in the standings by Robby Turnbull (Auckland, New Zealand/Selwyn College), who tied for 17th at 13-over 226 (74-72-80), and Charlie Box (Leicester, England/Wreake Valley Academy/Hutchinson CC), who tied for 24th at 17-over 230 (74-78-78). Leo Mihaich (Bell Ville, Argentina/Figuero Alcorta Normal School/Oklahoma Christian) played as a substitute and shot 12-over 83 on the final day.
Individual Notes
» Rory McDonald-O'Brien finished as the runner-up at the MAC Championships for the second consecutive year and earned MAC All-Tournament honors with his finishes. His 5-over 218 ranked as the third-best 54-hole score at the MAC event for an Eastern player as well.
» With his consecutive runner-up finishes, Rory McDonald-O'Brien became the 13th player in program history to record two or more top 10 finishes in the conference event and the first to do so since Kyle Rodes at the 2016 and 2017 events where he finished tied for second and tied for eighth, respectively. He also is the 10th in program history to earn top 10 finishes in consecutive MAC Championships.
» Rory McDonald-O'Brien became the third Eastern player to record a pair of top five finishes at the MAC Championships in a career, joining Cam Burke and Nick Carbary on the list. Burke was the first to accomplish the feat as he finished tied for fifth in 2009 before taking fourth in 2010 with Carbary finishing fourth in 2009 and tied for fifth in 2011.
» Rory McDonald-O'Brien's back-to-back runner-up finishes are the lowest combined placements in consecutive MAC Championships in program history. The record was previously held by Bob McNiff with a total of eight as he tied for sixth in 1984 before placing second in 1985.
» Rory McDonald-O'Brien competed in four conference championships in his career, including two Peach Belt Conference Championships with the University of South Carolina Aiken and two MAC Championships with Eastern. His runner-up showing this year marked his third career top 10 finish as he tied for seventh at the 2023 PBC event while also standing as his fourth top 20 showing after placing tied for 16th at the 2024 PBC event.
Team Notes
» Eastern finished third for the sixth time in program history to record its 15th top three finish at the MAC Championships. The Eagles first played in the tournament in 1973 and posted back-to-back top three finishes for the first time since the 2015 and 2016 events when they placed third and second, respectively.
» The 898 strokes recorded over three days tied for the fifth-best score in program history at the MAC Championships.
Up Next
Eastern will now wait to see if its season will continue as an at-large selection into the NCAA Regionals or the National Golf Invitational. The NCAA Selection Show is scheduled to air live on Golf Channel at 2 p.m. ET, May 6, with selections for the NGI, which will be composed of teams not selected by the NCAA, to follow later.
Results
2026 MAC Championships
The Club at Holliday Farms • Zionsville, Ind.
Sunday-Tuesday, May 3-5, 2026
Par 71 • 7,349 yards
FINAL • Team Standings
1. Miami • 296-289-295=880 (+28)
2. Northern Illinois • 297-296-294=887 (+35)
3. Eastern Michigan [#98] • 288-296-314=898 (+46)
4. Kent State • 304-303-301=908 (+56)
5. Bowling Green • 305-302-302=909 (+57)
6. Ball State • 308-299-303=910 (+58)
7. Central Michigan • 300-303-316=919 (+67)
8. Ohio • 311-304-311=926 (+74)
9. Toledo • 318-306-314=938 (+86)
Top 100 rankings (April 30 Scoreboard/Clippd) listed
Individual Results (Top 10)
1. Liam Nelson (MU) • 70-76-71=217 (+4)
2. Rory McDonald-O'Brien (EM) • 70-75-73=218 (+5)
t3. Angelo Luciani (BG) • 73-73-73=219 (+6)
t3. Liam Curtis (KS) • 77-72-70=219 (+6)
t5. Bence Kotel (UT) • 76-69-76=221 (+8)
t5. Patrick Raupp (NI) • 69-73-79=221 (+8)
t5. Nathaniel Gray Lamont (NI) • 75-77-69=221 (+8)
t8. Devin Swoyer (NI) • 74-76-72=222 (+9)
t8. Nolan Haynes (KS) • 74-74-74=222 (+9)
t10. Happy Gilmore (BS) • 75-74-74=223 (+10)
t10. Cameron Pero (MU) • 76-75-72=223 (+10)
t10. Avery Mahoney (BS) • 78-71-74=223 (+10)
----------------------------------
t15. Joshua Hess • 70-72-83=225 (+12)
t17. Robby Turnbull • 74-72-80=226 (+13)
t24. Charlie Box • 74-78-78=230 (+17)
n/a Leo Mihaich • 77-sub-83=160 (+18)
n/a Tim Chan • sub-77-sub=77 (+6)
Top 200 individual rankings (April 30 Scoreboard/Clippd) listed
MAC All-Tournament Team
Liam Nelson, Miami
Rory McDonald-O'Brien, Eastern Michigan
Liam Curtis, Kent State
Angelo Luciani, Bowling Green
Patrick Raupp, Northern Illinois
Bence Kotel, Toledo
Nathaniel Gray Lamont, Ohio
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
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