WEST DES MOINES—Taking a peek at the site of the upcoming American Rivers Championships, the Central College men's golf team posted a 15.5-8.5 victory over Simpson College Thursday, utilizing medal match play scoring.
           
Eight individual matches were staged, with a point awarded for the low score on each nine-hole round as well as a point for low overall 18-hole score. The match was staged at the par-72 Glen Oaks Country Club, one of the state's top courses and site of the April 28-30 conference tourney.
           
Central took seven of the eight individual matches. While traditional scores did not impact the team results, Kayden Pendergrass (junior, Mount Vernon) had the day's best round, overcoming stiff winds to card a 76. Harold Dobernecker (senior, Nevada) shot 77, Cole McGriff (junior, Grinnell) had 78, Blake Wynn (sophomore, Milan, Ill., Sherrard HS) shot 80, Jacob Moffett (senior, Mount Pleasant) had 81, John Oltman (senior, Pella) shot 82, Tate Nelson (senior, Burlington, West Burlington HS) shot 86 and Jackson Murphy (junior, Carthage, Ill., Illini West HS) shot 95.
           
"It was rainy, windy and cold," coach Mel Blasi said. "We've seen a lot of it lately. So it was really difficult conditions and Glen Oaks is a tough golf course. But I thought we hung in there nicely."
           
Blasi said most of Central's players hadn't played the course previously but left better prepared for returning there in a couple weeks.
           
"I think they liked the course a lot," Blasi said. "The more you get on it, the comfortable you feel, but it's a scoreable golf course, especially if the weather is decent."
           
Central is off until the Millikin (Ill.) Take Back the Night Invitational April 19-20. Teams will play the par-71 Red Tail Run Golf Course in Lakewood, Illinois and the South Side Country Club at nearby Decatur, which are both par-71 layouts. The Dutch were 10th in an 18-team field there last year.
           
"It gives us another competition against some really good teams and we'll take a pretty veteran group over there," Blasi said. "We need to get back on track at that tournament and get some confidence for the conference tournament."

Men's college golf
At Glen Oaks Country Club
West Des Moines, Iowa
 
Medal match play scoring
Central 15.5, Simpson 8.5
Harold Dobernecker (C) def. Blake Perrin, 2-1
Blake Wynn (C) def. Jack Wahman, 2-1
John Oltman (C) def. Andrew Princehouse, 3-0
Kayden Pendergrass (C) def. Bradley Kofoed, 2-1
Cole McGriff (C) def. Isaac Roe, 2.5-0.5
Jacob Moffett (C) def. Jacob Peterson, 2-1
Avin Legg (S) def. Tate Nelson, 3-0
Jackson Murphy (C) def. Brendan Bayeur, 2-1