ALTOONA, WISCONSIN—Central College's Harold Dobernecker (Nevada) endured some windy conditions and posted his third consecutive top-five finish this fall, taking third place at the 36-hole Frank Wrigglesworth Blugold Invitational men's golf tourney Monday.
           
Dobernecker also took honors as the low NCAA Division III finisher, shooting 70-76-146 on the par-71 Eau Claire Golf and Country Club course, his first score above par in seven rounds this season. He was part of a three-way tie but Dobernecker had the lowest second-day score and won the tiebreaker. He only trailed two individual entrants from the University of Wisconsin. Dobernecker tied for fourth in the tournament last year.
           
Monday. he shot 36 on the par-35 front nine, but was 5-over-par in the next five holes before closing with a birdie.
           
"I thought he played really well on the first nine," coach Mel Blasi said. "But then the conditions got a little tougher. But I think it's really a win for him in terms of being the low D3 guy. That will help him in the rankings, too."
           
Dobernecker is coming off a first-place showing at the Carthage (Wis.) Fall Invitational Sept. 11-12 and was fifth at the Transylvania (Ky.) Fall Invitational Sept. 2-3.
           
Central slipped a notch to fifth in the 18-team field at 305-317—622. The host University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire won with 298-293—591 while Bethel was second at 291-307—598.
           
Cole McGriff (junior, Grinnell) shot 79-80—159 while Blake Wynn (sophomore, Milan, Ill., Sherrard HS) had 79-82—11, Jacob Moffett (junior, Mount Pleasant) had 77-87—164 and John Oltman (junior, Pella) had 88.-79-157. At-large entrant Kayden Pendergrass (junior, Mount Vernon) shot 83-82—165.
           
"We've been on a pretty strenuous three-week stretch and I think we just kind of ran out of gas," Blasi said. "Mentally from the get-go, we just weren't on right away so we played catch-up all day. I was proud of the guys for hanging in there.
           
"I thought that John Oltman got off to a lot better start and it was nice to see him play better. Cole McGriff and Blake Wynn really hung in there because it could have got away from them. They really played the last nine holes with a lot of grit and determination, which shows me a lot."
           
Central gets a break until playing host to the Central Fall Classic in Iowa City Oct. 2-3. The tourney starts at 9 a.m. at the par-72 Finkbine Golf Course. The Dutch were third in a 13-team field on the same course last fall.