Saugatuck & Allendale, Mich.-- The Aquinas women's and men's golf teams showed resilience and determination at the Hope Spring Invitational this weekend, competing at two challenging venues. The women took on Clearbrook Golf Course in Saugatuck, while the men battled at The Meadows in Allendale. Both squads gained valuable experience and notched notable performances in a deep field.
Women's Team Rallies in Round Two at Clearbrook
After a slow start in Friday's opening round, the Aquinas women's team surged on Saturday to post the third-lowest team score of the day, moving up the leaderboard to finish fourth overall with a 725 (+149). The Saints trimmed 25 strokes off their team score in round two, an encouraging sign for the young roster.
Jayda Kerns led the way with a two-day total of 179 (+35), finishing 13th individually. Kerns' consistency and short game helped steady the team, particularly during Saturday's back nine. Ellie Christian and Zoey Quinn followed closely behind, each carding a strong 88 in round two to finish 14th and 15th respectively.
Ava Clark turned in one of the biggest improvements from day one to day two. After opening with a 99, Clark bounced back with a smooth 86, putting her at 185 (+41) and in 17th place. Maddie Schense matched that second-round 88 and finished in a tie for 19th.
The Saints held their own on the par-3s, finishing second among the five teams with a 3.48 average. Their improvement across the board from round one to round two points to a team that is building confidence and finding rhythm as the spring season progresses.
Men Crack Top Ten Behind Stellar Second Round at The Meadows
The Aquinas men's team showed plenty of firepower as well, finishing 10th in a strong 11-team field with a total score of 641 (+73). After a shaky opening round of 332, the Saints stormed back on Saturday with a team 309 — a 23-shot improvement that marked one of the best turnarounds of the tournament.
Matt Denhartigh and Austin Pitsch provided the scoring punch. Denhartigh carded rounds of 74 and 78 to finish at 152 (+7), while Pitsch followed up a difficult 83 on Friday with a sizzling 69 on Saturday — tying for the second-lowest round of the day. Both finished in a tie for 19th.
Andrew Kurowski and Anthony Lalomia kept the team momentum going with totals of 166 and 167, respectively. Lalomia shaved three shots off his opening round, while Logan Wolters posted an impressive 80 in round two — a 10-stroke improvement over his Friday performance.
The Saints were especially competitive on the par-4s and par-5s in round two, showing signs that their team depth and preparation are paying dividends. With their lowest team round of the spring season now under their belts, Aquinas looks to carry that momentum into upcoming competitions.
Coaches Comments:
Interim Coach Brandon Rozema had this to say about the Saints Golf this weekend, "Friday was not the best in our performance, but then Saturday we rebounded nicely and played much better. Consistency and confidence will be the focal points for the rest of the season."
Up Next:
Aquinas Women – Apr 14 (Mon)
at Kampen-Cosler Invitational – West Lafayette, IN (Kampen-Cosler Course)
Aquinas Men – Apr 14 (Mon) TBD
at The Lakes Championship – Dearborn, MI (TPC Michigan) WAS CANCELLED
