March 28, 2024

Cardinal boys golf drops to fourth in LHC standings

Ergenbright, Walker sit top 10 after 36 holes

Playing on its home turf, Newton’s boys golf team dropped to fourth during the second round of the Little Hawkeye Conference regular-season championship race on Tuesday.

Newton carded a 344 at Westwood Golf Course and is now 25 shots back of the conference leader.

Lincoln Ergenbright and Ethan Walker begin the final 18 holes in the top 10 of the individual race.

Dallas Center-Grimes carded a 331 to win the second 18 holes but still trails LHC-leader Pella by three strokes after 36 holes. The Little Dutch lead the Mustangs 655-658. Pella Christian (677) is three shots in front of Newton (680) after firing a 340 in the second round.

Oskaloosa matched Newton’s 344 and is in fifth after two rounds with a 692. Grinnell shot a 345 and is in sixth with a 693.

Ergenbright came into the day third individually but dropped into a four-way tie for fifth following an 86 on his home course. He had nine-hole splits of 47-39 and his two-round score is 165.

Walker moved into the top 10 following his 83. His nine-hole splits were 39-44 and his two-round score is 168.

Kinnick Pritchard matched his opening round by one stoke and his career-best 85 brings him to 171 after 36 holes.

The final counting scorer for Newton was Brennan Amos, who shot a second-round 90 and is five strokes back of Pritchard with a two-round score of 176.

Braydon Chance (91) and Garret Beerends (112) turned in non-counting scores. Chance’s two-round score is 179 and Beerends takes a score of 207 into the final round.

Pella’s Will Simpson won medalist honors in Round 2 after firing a 77. Overall leader Blake Perrin shot a 78 to earn runner-up medalist.

Perrin (147) leads Simpson (152) by five shots with 18 holes to play. Grinnell’s Nathaniel Zug (162) and Pella’s Ayden Gordon (162) are tied for third.