Ohio Wesleyan's Justin Schroeder
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The four-time defending champion Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops were at it again on Day 1 of the 2006 North Coast Athletic Conference Men's Golf Championships at Windy Knoll Golf Club, taking a three-stroke lead over Allegheny College.
The Battling Bishops put four players below 80 in the first round of the 54-hole tournament, although that did not include 2005 medalist Justin Schroeder. After another trip through the front nine at Windy Knoll, which opened in 2002 and is playing host to the conference championships for the first time this year, the Bishops have a 445. All five OWU players are below 120, and the Bishops' top four players are all in the top nine in the individual standings heading into Day 2.
Leading the way for OWU is Rory Hotaling, who carded a one-under-par 70 in Round 1 and remains in red numbers after an even-par 35 to start his second round left him at 105 through the first 27 holes of the competition. He is tied with Allegheny's Chris Moore, who followed a two-under-par 69 in the first round with a one-over-par 36 on the front nine of the second round to card a first-day total of 105.
The Bishops and Gators, the top seeds coming in, rank among the nation's best in NCAA Division III, and the battle should be spirited on Day 2 of the competition. Allegheny is second with a 448 currently. Host Wittenberg, led by freshman Jeff Hochstetler and senior Kris Schmelzer with matching 116s through 27 holes, stands in third place with a 468 after Day 1, matching the pre-tournament seeding. Hochstetler and Schmelzer are tied for ninth place currently.
The Tigers will be forced to turn in another strong performance on Saturday as three teams are within striking distance of third place. Denison is fourth with a 476, followed closely by Wabash with a 477 and Wooster at 478. Kenyon is pretty well locked into seventh place at 507 after Day 1, followed by Hiram with a 528 and Oberlin with a 550.