MADISON, Ill. -- The Bradley men's golf team shot a 295 on the final day of play at the Derek Dolenc Invitational to finish seventh and the Braves finished off the tournament with the lowest 54-hole team score in program history at 862.
After carding two of the lowest six rounds in program history during Monday's action at the par-71 Gateway Golf Links with scores of 281 and 285, Bradley returned to the course Tuesday morning to finish out the event with a third-round total of 295. The Braves posted a school record 54-hole total of 862 for the event, breaking the previous school mark of 873 set last fall at the Butler Fall Invitational.
Senior Lyle Burns (Mahomet, Ill./Seymour/Parkland C.C.) turned in the low round of the day for the Braves with a one-under 70 and was one of three Bradley individuals to finish in the top 20. Burns tied for 19th in the final individual standings with a season-best 54-hole score of 216.
Freshman Drake Bushong (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) continued his strong play and has now shot 75 or better in each of his first six collegiate rounds after a third-round 74 Tuesday. Bushong, who was Bradley's top finisher for the second time in as many tournaments, tied for 10th at 213 to place in the top 10 for the second time this year.
Junior Zach Jewell (Mapleton, Ill./Limestone/Illinois Central) finished one shot behind Bushong in a tie for 14th at 214, shooting a 73 Tuesday. Senior Garrett Cox (Mahomet, Ill./Seymour) ran his streak of consecutive sub-80 rounds to a team-best nine with a 78 as he posted the lowest 54-hole total of his career at 221 to tie for 40th overall.
Sophomore Daniel Lensing (Spring Park, Minn./Orono) rounded out the team scoring for Bradley with a 78 as he tied for 63rd at 225.
Tournament-host SIU Edwardsville was one of two teams to finish under par, claiming top honors at eight-under 844. Belmont was second at three-under 849 and UT-Martin finished third in the team standings with a score of 852. Missouri State was close behind in fourth at 854 and South Dakota followed in fifth (857). Austin Peay edged Bradley for sixth by three shots at 859 and the Braves were seventh at 862.
Bradley was four shot better than eighth-place finisher Tennessee Tech (866) and six ahead of ninth-place Oakland (868). Western Illinois rounded out the top 10 of the 15-team field with a score of 870.
The Braves are in action next Monday and Tuesday at the Zach Johnson Invitational in Des Moines, Iowa.
