Central opens in 32nd in NCAA men’s golf

Central College

GREENSBORO, N.C.—Drew Osier (sophomore, Austin, Minn.) opened with a steady 75 but the Central College men’s golf team stands 32nd after the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament Tuesday.

Competing at the par 72, 6,800-yard West Course at the Grandover Resort and Conference Center, the Dutch shot 312. Oglethorpe (Ga.) and St. John’s (Minn.) shared the lead at 286. The 40-team field will be whittled to 15 teams after Wednesday’s second round in the 72-hole tournament.

Osier is tied for 60th in the individual standings. Brent Messmore (junior, Hudson) carded a 78, Justin Livingston (sophomore, Winterset) shot 79, Jason Harvey (senior, Goldfield, Clarion-Goldfield HS) had 80 and Alex Huyser (senior, Sully, Lynnville-Sully HS) shot 83.

“I thought Drew Osier shot really well for his first round in a national tournament,” first-year coach Chad Green said. “But overall as a team, we didn’t play that well. We didn’t putt horribly but we didn’t make many big putts. And we put ourselves in a lot of bad situations.”

Green called Huyser’s score deceiving.

“He actually played decent golf,” Green said. “He played even par on 14 holes but he got some bad bounces on the other holes and it cost him. But he could have cashed it in and he stayed mentally tough.”

The Dutch play at the 7,045-yard East Course Wednesday as they try to make a move in the standings.

“Both courses are really tight,” Green said. “Tomorrow’s course is a little longer, that’s really the only difference.”