NORMAL, ILL.—A strong back nine rescued the Central College men's golf team after an uneven start at the Illinois Wesleyan Invitational Friday.
           
The Dutch stand 10th in a 25-team field at 309 after one round of the 36-hole tournament. Because of forecasts for rain on Saturday, teams played a portion of the second round late Friday. Coach Mel Blasi said his squad scored well on the additional holes and is positioned to make a move up the leaderboard.
           
No. 7-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University leads the field at 283 on the Ironwood Golf Course. Webster University (Mo.) follows at 293. American Rivers rival Loras College is tied for 14th at 316 while Nebraska Wesleyan University shot 318.
           
Drew Rogers (freshman, Sullivan, Ill.) carded a 74 and is tied for 14th. Lucas Wendel (junior, Le Claire, Pleasant Valley HS) is tied for 23rd at 75. Dustin Haines (junior, Sigourney) and Jake Moffett (sophomore, Mount Pleasant) each shot 80 and Drake Hamilton (freshman, Westlake, Texas, Keller HS) shot 81.
           
"We got off to a really rough start," Blasi said. "When you have a shotgun start, sometimes you start on the most difficult holes and that happened to us."
           
Yet the Dutch remained competitive.
           
"Drew Rogers played well," Blasi said. "Lucas Wendel had some nice birdies coming in. And Dustin Haines parred the last 12 holes. He was 8-over-par after six holes. It was great to see them not give up."
           
Central also had two at-large golfers post good numbers. Harold Dobernecker (sophomore, Nevada) had 74 and Cole McGriff (freshman, Grinnell) had 76. McGriff missed the fall season while competing in football but is forcing his way into the varsity picture.
           
"Cole really played well," Blasi said. "It's going to be hard to keep him out of the top five. And Harold ran into a six on a par-3, otherwise he might have been under par."
           
The Dutch players got as many as six additional holes in before darkness fell Friday evening.
           
"We're supposed to have light rain all day tomorrow, but I don't think it's a rain that will keep us from playing unless the course gets too wet," Blasi said.