MANSFIELD – Senior Nick Lust shot a record-setting round, and for the first time in program history, the Kenyon College golf team won the North Coast Athletic Conference Championship. The Lords did so by posting a three-round total of 897 during the weekend at Westbrook Country Club.
After Friday’s first round, the No. 20-ranked Lords had a stroke count of 306 and sat in second place, four strokes off the lead. When Saturday rolled around, the Lords made their move. Spearheaded by Lust’s record-setting, eight-under-par 64, the Lords posted a team score of 286 and moved into first place by a 13-stroke margin over No. 4-ranked Wittenberg University. From there, the Lords played a steady Sunday, only to increase their margin of victory to 24 strokes.
No. 21-ranked Denison University wound up in second place with a three-day total of 921, and Wittenberg dropped to third with a final count of 927.
With the victory, Kenyon earned the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Championship, which will take place May 10-13 at Mission Inn Resort and Club in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.
While Kenyon got contributions from all five of its golfers, the standout was Lust, who won medalist honors with a two-under-par 214. He was the only golfer in the 45-player field to finish under par. His 64 on Saturday was both a Kenyon program record for 18 holes as well as the Westbrook Country Club course record. Lust’s other two rounds were both 75s.
One spot below Lust on the player leaderboard was fellow senior Eric Lifson, who shot 74, 71, and 78 for a 223 and a second-place finish. Three more spots down the standings was Kenyon first-year Armand Ouellette, who posted rounds of 77, 75 and 76 for a three-day total of 228.
Kenyon’s two other golfers were seniors Andrew Kotler and Ethan Manalo. Kotler tied for 11th place with a total score of 233 based on rounds of 80, 76 and 77. Manalo wrapped things up with rounds of 86, 77 and 77 to tie for 22nd place with a total of 240.
At the conclusion of the tournament, NCAC awards were handed out. Lust earned the Bob Nye Award for being tournament medalist. Ouellette was named NCAC Newcomer of the Year and also took home the Dick Gordin Award for NCAC Player of the Year. Finally, Grant Wallace, in his ninth year with the program, was named NCAC Coach of the Year.
Lust, Lifson and Ouellette were selected for the 2022 All-NCAC first team, while Kotler earned a spot on the second ream.
Kenyon’s upcoming trip to the national tournament will be the fourth in program history but the first since 1989.
