FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Courtesy of Dan Campagna, Emmanuel Athletics
SACO, Maine - Saint Joseph's College of Maine (324) owns an 11-stroke lead over Elms (335) after the first round of the 2022 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Golf Championship, hosted by the Monks on Monday afternoon at the Biddeford-Saco Country Club.
Coming in a tie for third place after the first 18 holes with a score of 344 were Albertus Magnus College and Norwich University. Dean College and Emmanuel (Mass.) College rounded out the competitors in fifth and sixth place with scores of 357 and 358, respectively.
COURSE NOTES
Front Nine: Par 35 - 3,192 yards
Back Nine: Par 36 - 3,166 yards
Total: Par 71 - 6,358 yards
This marks the second time in GNAC history that SJC has hosted the championship at Biddeford-Saco CC, with the first tournament taking place in 2019, when Southern Maine took the event with a two-day score of 596 (297-299). Tristan Dundas (USM) took home medalist honors that year, shooting a 145 (72-73).
PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
SJC senior Trevor Flanagan (Monmouth, Maine) and Elms sophomore Mike Keefe (Milford, Mass.) were the pace-setters for Round 1, each shooting a 75 (+4) on the day. Flanagan had nine straight pars from holes three through 11 while Keefe played the back-nine at +1 (37) with a pair of birdies.
Elms first year Migueal Pierce (Guilford, Conn.) was the only other golfer in the field to break 80, carding a 79 (+8) which also included a 37 (+1) on the back side of the course.
Defending GNAC medalist and 2021 Rookie of the Year Drew Mathieu (Windham, Maine) finished the day with an 80 (+9) while Norwich first-year Matt Printup (Northfield, Vt.) and Emmanuel sophomore Ian Reynolds (East Haven, Conn.) rounded out the top-five with scores of 81 (+10) during the rain-filled round.
SCORECARDS
The lowest five scores will automatically be named to the GNAC All-Conference Team following round-two play on Tuesday, while the individual medalist will be named the GNAC Player of the Year, and the rookie with the lowest total will be named GNAC Rookie of the Year.
T1) Trevor Flanagan, SJC - 75
T1) Mike Keefe, Elms - 75
3) Miguel Pierce, Elms - 79
4) Drew Mathieu, SJC - 80
T5) Matt Printup, NU – 81
T5) Ian Reynolds, EMM – 81
UP NEXT
Day Two of the 2022-23 GNAC Men's Golf Championship is set for Tuesday, October 11, with the first group of golfers slated to go off at 9:27 AM. The champion will receive the league automatic qualifier to the 2023 NCAA Division III Tournament in the spring.
