Men’s Golf Takes Sixth to Open Spring Season

CINCINNATI – Jace Neal finished in 12th place among 67 competitors to lead the Defiance College men's golf squad to a sixth-place showing at the Mount St. Joseph Spring Invitational on Sunday. The Jackets edged five teams, including a pair of league foes in the 11-team, two-day event.

Neal opened his 2011 spring season by firing a 79 in Saturday's first round to enter the final 18 holes in a tie for third place. The Defiance, Ohio native then carded an 86 on Sunday to finish with a 165 and in a tie for 12th. Neal was followed by Mike Ross (171), Brian Jones (174) and Jared James (182) for the Yellow Jackets, while Alex Goecke's 166 was good for a 14th-place finish as an individual performer.

MSJ claimed the team crown by logging a 636 and topped Franklin by 31 strokes. Hanover ended in third after shooting a 672, while Thomas More (673), Alma (682) and DC (692) closed out the top six. The team standings were rounded out by Muskingum (695), Wilmington (726), Rose-Hulman (763), Manchester (764) and Oberlin (832).

Hanover's Robert Bader won the individual championship with a 153, topping Franklin's Eric Whitaker by five shots.

DC will hit the links again on March 26 and 27 to compete in the Hanover Invitational.