Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's men's golf team concluded their participation in the Lake Las Vegas Invitational, securing 13th place out of 15 teams. The team finished with a total score of 896 (+32), while Long Beach State emerged as the tournament winner.

Head coach Justin Fetcho reflected on the team's performance, stating, "It was a tough week for us, this golf course presents different conditions than we are used to seeing and it really affected us negatively." He noted that the firm greens and challenging lies posed difficulties for the players. Fetcho emphasized the need for mental resilience and simplicity in their approach moving forward.

Anthony De Schutter led Southern Illinois' efforts, tying for 30th place with a score of 218 (+2). He started strong with a first-round score of 71 (-1). Frank Bellino (IND.) tied for 38th with a final score of 220 (+4), showcasing an impressive second round at 70 (-2).

The rest of the Salukis' results were as follows: Leon Heitz tied for 61st at +9 (225), Lucas Lasley tied for 66th at +10 (226), Cy Norman tied for 79th at +16 (232), Oliver Ulrich tied for 81st at +17 (232), and Jan Wdowka (IND.) tied for 84th at +20 (236).

Fetcho expressed plans to focus on areas needing improvement before their next competition. "We have a short week before we leave again so we will plan to work on some different areas that weren't sharp this week to get ready to go," he said.

The Salukis aim to improve their performance when they compete in the Desert Mountain Collegiate in Scottsdale, Arizona, on March 8.

For updates on Southern Illinois Men's Golf, follow them on X (@SIU_MGolf), Instagram (@SIU_MGolf), and Facebook (SalukiMGolf).