Tigges helps SAU to good start at NAIA Championships
Jared Tigges shot a 2-under 69 to help St. Ambrose get off to a strong start at the 70th annual NAIA Men's Golf Championships Tuesday.
His effort helped the Fighting Bees to a spot in the top half of the 29-team field at the championships hosted by St. Ambrose and Visit Quad Cities at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. SAU is 14th after the first of four rounds with a 4-over 288, just four shots out of a share of fifth place.
After a bogey on No. 10, the team's opening hole, Tigges was 3-under the rest of the way, collecting birdies on No. 14, 3 and 6. It was the senior's best round of the year and puts him in a tie for 14th place among the 155 golfers.
Mick Haverland birdied No. 9 to finish with an even-par 71. He answered a double-bogey on No. 1 with an eagle on the par-5 No. 2, and followed that with six straight pars before wrapping things up with his final birdie. Haverland sits in a tie for 34th overall.
Two other Bees - Eric Spurgetis and Owen Hultman - carded 3-over 74s. Spurgetis battled back after a rough start. He was 4-over after just two holes, but behind four birdies, he shot 1-under over the final 16 holes. Hultman slipped with a double bogey on his finishing hole to complete his 74.
Freshman Dylan McAleer, the only Bee who didn't compete on last year's national-qualifying team, came in with an 83.
Keiser and Point share the early team lead with matching 4-under 280s. Three different players shot a 7-under 64 to sit in a tie atop the individual leaderboard.
The field will be cut after Wednesday's round, and a national champion will be crowed after the tournament's final round Friday.