PENFIELD, N.Y. – For the first time in its intercollegiate athletics history, The W will be represented in the NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championship finals, as Zach Riley (Hernando, Miss.) has made the cut for Thursday and Friday’s final rounds. The W team missed the team cutline (top 18), finishing 35th in the nation.
It’s a little bittersweet,” MUW Head Coach Benji Williams said of the final event the team had after two years together. “This year our quote has been, ‘We get one last ride’ and, for the next two days, we will. Zach won’t be playing with the team, but he will have his teammates making the ‘one last ride’ with him.
“I’m super excited for Zach and how he has played the first two days. It’s been fun watching and coaching him throughout his career here at The W.”
After two rounds battling the weather, Riley sits in a tie for 18th place, overall, on the 96-player leaderboard heading into the finals. Riley has a 4-over par (148) through the first 36 holes, after an even round of 72 on Tuesday and a plus-4 in Wednesday’s blustery conditions.
“It feels amazing,” Riley said of making the cut. “To be able to represent The W at the highest level of competition is such an honor.
“The rain and the coldness was definitely a huge factor in what made today’s round so difficult. Handling with wet grips and catching water in between the ball and the club face made it very hard to predict how the ball was going to come out. I didn’t really feel any pressure towards the beginning of the round, but towards the end – when I knew I was near the cut line – I definitely felt a lot of pressure.”
With only three players of the field posting red numbers through two rounds, Riley’s mission became one of using his skills to give himself a chance at the cut; simply limit mistakes that were picking off the other competitors, which he did.
Riley’s teammates were among those who could not overcome the conditions. Tuesday’s scores for the Owls included Spence Davis at 15-over, Matt Wilkinson at 18-over, Cameron James at 19-over, and Luke Yocum at 22-over.
Riley’s plan for the final 36 holes is simple. “Just keep the ball in the short grass and hopefully I have a few more putts fall for me,” Riley surmised.
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