Matt Vegter Sept. 13, 2009

Central sixth at Mt. Mercy tournament

MARION—Central College sophomore Brent Messmore (Hudson) tied for fifth place at the 20-team Mount Mercy Cropper Golf Classic Sunday.  

Messmore was competing for Central’s second unit, the White squad, and carded 70-74—144 at the par-72 Hunter’s Ridge Golf Course. Nick Wilson of William Woods (Mo.) was medalist with a 7-under-par 67-70—137.

“It was a great weekend for Brent,” coach Charlie Estabrook said. “He’s been getting better every week. The pins today were in very tricky spots but he navigated his way around the course pretty well.”

Central was sixth at 293-302—595 in its first tournament of the fall. NCAA Division III rival Illinois Wesleyan slipped in front of the Dutch, placing second at 296-284—580, shooting 4-under-par as a team Sunday. Central’s White team was 11th at 310-306—616.

Jason Harvey (junior, Goldfield, Clarion-Goldfield HS) tied for eighth at 69-76—145. Andrew Townsend (junior, Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley HS) tied for 12th at 74-72—146 with Justin Smool (senior, Bagley, Panorama HS) at 77-75—152, Matt Stock (senior, Queen City, Mo., Schuyler County HS) at 73-79—152 and Russ Katz (sophomore, Chicago, Ill., Downers Grove North HS) at 77-83—160.

“We can’t complain too much,” Estabrook said. “We didn’t play the way we wanted to, obviously, but it’s not a bad start.”

Central’s White squad competes at the Clarke Fall Invitational Sept. 20-21 at the Thunder Hills Country Club in Dubuque. The Dutch varsity doesn’t return to action until Sept. 27-28 when Central is at the Frank Wrigglesworth Blugold Collegiate Invitational at the Eau Claire Country Club in Eau Claire, Wis.