MESA, Ariz. – Their overall finish – 11th place – wasn't necessarily as high as they hoped it would be, but it was still a very memorable NAIA Men's Golf National Championships for Wayland Baptist.
On the final day of the four-day event at Las Sendas Golf Club's Hilly Desert Course, Sebastien Tremulot hit his first hole-in-one and Sentanio Minnie fired a 5-under 66 as the Pioneers closed out nationals by shooting 304. That followed rounds of 315, 297 and 287 for WBU's four-day 1,203 total.
"If you would have told me we'd finish 11th at the national championships, I'd have to say I'd be pretty happy with that," Wayland coach Tom Harp said. "I don't think they saw that coming at the beginning of the year, or even three months ago, and there were people who didn't believe we'd make it to nationals, and then that we'd make the cut at nationals."
Wayland, ranked No. 20, stood in eighth place after Thursday's 287, which was the second-best score of the day. A rough start on the first hole Friday – where WBU's golfers combined to go 8-over – hampered the Pioneers' efforts over the last round.
"It was a bit of an interesting day," Harp said.
Although both elected to play conservatively with a 3-wood on the 450-yard par-4 first, Johannes Hounsgaard and Tremulot both ran into trouble off the tee. Tremulot's ball hit a cart path and wound up in a bush, forcing him to take an unplayable. He wound up with a double-bogey.
Hounsgaard, whose 66 Thursday was the best round of the tournament to that point, hit the same cart path and his ball caromed directly left out of bounds. His second tee shot wound up under the lip of a fairway bunker, and he walked off the first green with a quadruple-bogey.
Meanwhile, both Minnie and Jake Craft bogeyed the first hole, while Michael Valk parred.
Minnie, a junior, quickly got his round together and birdied the par-5 second hole. He finished with seven birdies and only one other bogey for his 5-under 66. That followed Thursday's 72 which came on the heels of opening 78 and 79, leaving Minnie tied for 26th place at 295.
"With all of the struggles he's been through, to see Sentanio do that today was very satisfying," Harp said. "He hit so many good shots today. I'm really happy for him to finish like that. He has a lot of good golf ahead of him."
Hounsgaard, after posting five birdies and an eagle Thursday, made only one birdie Friday, on the 18th. His final-round card also showed five bogeys and a double, in addition to the opening snowman, for an 88. He wound up tied for 39th at 300.
Harp called Hounsgaard, a German who arrived at Wayland at the beginning of the spring semester, "one of the best freshmen in the country. He carried a 4.0 this semester and just missed out on the all-freshman team. What a great kid."
Valk, a sophomore from Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, was the most consistent of Wayland's golfers this week (78-71-74-78—301) and tied for 41st place. The junior Frenchman, Tremulot, tied for 63rd (83-73-75-79—310) while the sophomore Craft of Artesia, N.M., tied for 81st (82-77-76-85—320).
Tremulot hit a 7-iron to card his first career hole-in-one on the 183-yard 16th. "He couldn't see it go in, but a crowd at the green started screaming," Harp said. "To do that at a national championship was exciting for him."
Texas Wesleyan cruised to the team title. The third-ranked Rams shot 293-283-294-296—1,166 and won by nine shots over Coastal Georgia. Another Sooner Athletic Conference team, Oklahoma City, finished in third place (306-300-284-292—1,182).
Mark Johnson of Coastal Georgia prevailed in a three-way playoff to win the individual crown. Johnson shot 72-74-69-71—286.
Harp said it was a "very encouraging" tournament for the Pioneers.
"There were parts that were disappointing, but I'd just as soon focus on the positives," he said. "Those guys will be coming back, and I think it gave them a real hunger.
"All in all it was a great year. I'm pleased with the guys. They are quality young men who have a lot of good tournaments in front of them. It will be good to watch them play next year."
