The Billikens are getting the ball back on line. After a 13th place finish two weeks ago, the Saint Louis University golf team placed fifth in the 17-team field at the Eastern Illinois Ironhorse Intercollegiate on Tuesday.
Freshman Evan Frederick led the Bills in his first tournament with the team. He finished 11th out of 90 players.
“I’m happy with how we played,” said coach Ed Schwent. “The conditions were some of the hardest I can imagine playing in.”
The chilly, windy and wet environment Monday led to an average score of 76. Senior Scott Fann and Frederick shot impressive first round scores of 73 and 74, respectively.
The weather got even worse on Tuesday, as the temperature dropped and the wind was blowing at 40 miles per hour.
“The wind was pretty much unbearable,” said Frederick. “When putting, it would blow your ball or putter off line.”
Schwent said that Frederick played exceptionally well considering the fact that he doesn’t have to play in such cold-damp weather in his homestate, Florida.
In high school, Frederick played at the number one spot all four years. His play lately is likely to earn him a permanent spot as one of the Bill’s top five. In the second round Frederick shot a 77, just three shots off the winning score.
With a 74, Matt Willmont of the University of Missouri-Kansas City won individual medalist honors after defeating three players, including two of his teammates, in a playoff. UMKC won the team title with a 599.
Senior Scott Fann was leading the Bill’s after first-round play with a 73. He struggled Tuesday, shooting an 80.
Fann and junior Adam Trower finished with scores of 153 tying for 16th place. Trower shot solid scores of 75 the first day and 78 the second.
Senior Justin Haupt battled to an 83 on day one, but he impressed Schwent with a 77 to finish tied for 54th after day two. Senior Andy Poe was affected by the lousy conditions as he finished with rounds of 80 and 86.
The tough conditions led to high scores on an already difficult course. Ironhorse is a 7,000 yard links-style layout with a lot of water in the front of the greens and on both sides of many fairways.
Tournament host Eastern Illinois tied for fifth after day one, but fell to 13th to conclude play on Tuesday.
Going into the season Schwent had expectations to win a tournament. He thinks the team has a promising chance to make that happen next week at the SMS/Pepsi Challenge Oct. 22-23.
In regards to the next tournament, Frederick said, jokingly, “I expect for us to play well . . .if the weather’s good.”
