ANKENY— John Oltman (sophomore, Pella) seized opportunity by the shirt collar Monday and fired a career-low 1-under-par 70 to push the Central College men's golf team into a tie for third place after one round at the fall season-ending Grand View Invitational.
           
With the team's No. 1 player, Harold Dobernecker (sophomore, Nevada), sidelined, Oltman was inserted into the lineup and responded in a big way on the par-71 Otter Creek Golf Course, dropping his personal-best score by seven shots. He's tied for fourth in the medalist standings behind first-round leader Sam Lockhart of Grand View University, who shot 68.
           
"That was a big pickup for us because of not having Harold in the lineup," coach Mel Blasi said. "So to have your No. 5 guy shoot 1-under-par was huge. John eagled the third hole, which got him off to a good start and then he birdied the last two holes on the front nine. Then he was just really steady on the back nine with nine pars. His short game was good. He got it up and down a few times to save par and that really helped his score."
           
The Dutch carded 289 to share third place with Northwestern College, just three shots back of first-place Grand View. Central is among just two NCAA Division III schools in the 11-team field. Central's second unit, the White squad, stands eighth at 310.
           
Freshman Drew Rogers (Sullivan, Ill.) is tied for seventh individually with an even-par 71.
           
"Drew was really solid," Blasi said. "I think he made three birdies and three bogeys. He maybe had a chance to score even a little bit better. He's striking the ball really well and he made some putts that he hasn't been making."
           
Matt Briggs (sophomore, Burlington, Notre Dame HS) and Lucas Wendel (junior, Le Claire, Pleasant Valley HS) each shot 74 and Jacob Moffett (sophomore, Mount Pleasant) had 76.
           
"Matt Briggs was steady," Blasi said. "He had one ball out-of-bounds and that really hurt his score, but he's been so consistent for us. He hasn't shot many bad rounds this fall."
           
Blasi liked the depth the Dutch displayed in posting a low number.
           
"We had a good day," he said. "It's not necessarily an easy course but the winds were light."
           
Kyle Gabos (junior, Plymouth, Minn., Maple Grove HS) and Drake Hamilton (freshman, Westlake, Texas, Keller HS) each shot 74 for the White squad.

"We hope to have a really good close-out (Tuesday) because we've had a great fall season," Blasi said. "Our scoring average has been great and hopefully we'll keep it right there."