Scot Golfers Open Season in Middle of 14-Team Pack

The College of Wooster golf team made its 2003-04 debut with a seventh-place performance at the 14-team Denison University Fall Golf Classic, hosted by the par-71, 6,559-yard Granville Golf Course on Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 13-14).

As a team, Wooster shot consistent rounds of 301-300=601, finishing at 33-over and 23 strokes off Ohio Wesleyan University's pace. The Battling Bishops came in at 292-286=578, eight strokes ahead of co-runner-ups Denison (296-290=586) and Otterbein College (291-295=586).

The Scots, who lost their top-two players from last year due to graduation, had two individuals place among the top-10 at Denison. Junior Michael Tilden produced his best career result, tying for fourth with scores of 73 and 71, which was just two-over par and four strokes behind the medalist, Justin Schroeder of Ohio Wesleyan (72-68=140). In a tie for 10th-place from Wooster was junior Joe Punturi, as the All-North Coast Athletic Conference honoree from a season ago, turned in 71-76=147.

Freshman Andy Van Horn had a solid debut with the Scots, scoring 76-77=153 to tie for 37th, while junior Chris Billow and sophomore Brandon Tylka rounded out their lineup with rounds of 81-77=158 and 83-76=159, respectively.

Competing as individuals from Wooster were junior Tyler Scott, who matched Billow's final score with cards of 81 and 77, and classmate Paul Hiller, who had an opening day 78 but followed it up with an 88.

The Scots will continue their fall schedule this Friday and Saturday (Sept. 19-20), as they will travel to the Cambridge Country Club in Cambridge, Ohio, for Muskingum College's Fall Invitational.