SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The Wittenberg men's and women's golf teams have just about put the finishing touches on the annual fall season, with the women scheduled to play in their fifth and final event on Sunday at John Carroll. The men wrapped things up with a sixth-place finish in a tough 15-team field at Denison last weekend.
The Tiger men were seventh in a strong 15-team field in the season-opening Wittenberg Invitational on Sept. 10-11 and then placed second out of seven teams in the Tiger Invitational the following week. At Denison, Wittenberg moved up one spot to sixth with a strong second-day total of 300.
On both days at Denison, the Tigers put four of their five players below 80 for the round, a positive omen so early in the season for a team that featured three freshmen, a junior and a senior in the starting lineup (four scores count out of five players). Freshman Garrett Smith (Powell, Ohio/Worthington Christian) led the way with a 12th-place finish as he carded a two-day total of 146, just four over par. Junior Brandon Sweaney (Westerville, Ohio/DeSales) was one stroke behind with a 147, good for a tie for 15th place.
The women have had their struggles as a team, but individually, freshman Jennifer Petro (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart) has made a tremendous first impression. After shooting in the low 90s in each of her first three collegiate outings, Petro carded a school-record 84 to place second in the Muskingum Invitational on Oct. 2.