NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. — Western Illinois golfer Kyle Peterman shot a tournament-best round of 67 on the final round of the Fairway Club Invitational Tuesday to finish the event in third place individually.
Peterman shot a three-round score of 211 (72-72-67) to lead the Fighting Lethernecks to a sixth place team finish with a score of 887 (303-295-289).
"We started slow on Monday and that shot us out of an opportunity to finish higher in the tournament," Said Western Illinois coach Mel Blasi. "The weather conditions were ideal and the golf course was in immaculate shape for scoring, we just didn't take advantage of it."
Drake took the tournament win with a score of 852, led by individual medalist Cody Schweinefus who wend under par in all three rounds to finish with a 207 (69-68-70).
Peterman's 5-under-par 67 marked his best collegiate round since transferring to Western Illinois from Memphis prior to his sophomore season. During his freshman year at with the Tigers, Peterman shot a career-best round of 66 at the Mason Rudolph Intercollegiate.
"Kyle played steady the entire tournament. He made a few more birdie putts on Tuesday than he did in either of the rounds on Monday and that was the difference in his score," Blasi said. "A third place finish at 5-under-par is a good start for Kyle."
Behind Peterman, Brian Scott tied for 29th with a 222 (77-71-74), Jake Weeber tied for 42nd with a 225 (78-77-70), Andrew Godfrey tied for 48th at 230 (76-76-78) and Ryan Franks came in 57th at 235 (81-76-78). Playing as an individual in his first collegiate competition, freshman Leatherneck Ben Kilborn tied for 58th at 236 (80-79-77).
"I was extremely proud of our players for the way we played in the last round. Having two players (Peterman and Weeber) combine for 7-under par is very good. It's too bad we didn't have two more good scores to go with them," Blasi said. "
The Leathernecks next travel to Manhattan, Kan., Sep. 21-22 for the Jim Colbert Intercollegiate hosted by Kansas State. Western placed third at the Jim Colbert Intercollegiate last season.
"The competition was very good this week," Blasi said. "We need to get much more consistent play from our four and five players if we are going to contend this fall at a tournament."
