Central claims Knox men's golf crown

Yurgae fires 69 as Dutch post 9-shot win

by Larry Happel

Galesburg, Ill. (04/14/2025) — Central College placed three players in the top 10 and secured its second men's golf championship in five days at the Knox College (Ill.) Invitational Sunday.

While encountering less accommodating scoring conditions as winds picked up, the Dutch expanded their 3-shot first-round lead to win comfortably at 288-303-591, after finishing first at the Central Shootout at Pella Tuesday. Augustana College (Ill.) was second Sunday at 291-309-600, with host Knox third at 296-314-610 in the seven-team tourney.

Carter Yurgae (freshman, West Des Moines, Dowling Catholic HS), who was Central's No. 5 scorer Saturday with an 80, defied the conditions with Sunday's best score, a career-low 69, 3-under par at the Soangetaha Country Club course. No other player shot better than 74 on the day. He tied for sixth overall with 149.

"Carter was really the difference-maker for us today," coach Mel Blasi said. "His 69 was a great score in the conditions because it was much windier, firmer, faster. He started birdie, birdie, birdie and that got him off to a good start. He ran into a little trouble after that but then he played about the last eight holes in 3-under par."

Blake Wynn (junior, Milan, Ill., Sherrard HS) was Central's top overall finisher, tying for fourth at 72-76-148. Augustana's Drake Stoudt took medalist honors with 72-74-146. Maison Brandt (freshman, Byron, Ill.) tied for ninth at 72-79-151, Crew Klingner (freshman, Williamsburg) tied for 11th at 73-79-152 and Kayden Pendergrass (senior, Mount Vernon) tied for 14th at 71-82-153.

"I liked the way the other guys started," Blasi said. "Blake had a really hot start again and Maison Brandt got off to a good start. So right away, we kind of established ourselves up there with the lead."

Playing as an at-large entrant, Cooper Langfelt (senior, Tabor, Fremont-Mills HS) shot 91-85-176.

Blasi is encouraged by the growth he's seeing in his young squad.

"You've got to learn how to win," he said. "And it doesn't matter what the tournament's like, it's still the same kind of pressure and the same kind of anxiety you feel going into the last day, especially if you're leading, because then the expectations are maybe a little bit higher."

Friday and Saturday the Dutch compete in a new tourney on their schedule, the Bobby Krig Invitational hosted by Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.). Teams will play 36 holes Friday at 8:30 a.m. at the Le Seur Country Club in Le Seur, Minnesota, then close with 18 holes at the New Prague Golf Course in New Prague Saturday at 9 a.m.

"I don't know who's there but we'll go with a lot more confidence," Blasi said. "We're excited to compete there. It should be another good one to prepare us for the conference tournament, which is coming up real quickly."

The American Rivers tourney is April 27-29 in West Des Moines.

Kayden

Pendergrass