College Men’s Golf Results – Methodist Surges Into Lead at NCAA Division III Championships

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Methodist University surged into the lead behind a tournament-low round of 282 in Thursday’s third round of the NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championships at the Grandover Resort and Spa. With a one-under-par total of 863 after 54 holes, the Monarchs hold a 10-stroke lead over second-place Washington and Lee University (873) and a 13-shot margin over second-round leader Guilford College (876).

The Monarchs, 11-time winners of the event, started the round tied for second in the 42-team field with Washington and Lee but quickly overcame the three-shot deficit with a blistering opening nine holes. Dan Shepherd was three-under-par after nine and Jared Chinn was two-under par. Methodist showed no sign of letting up on the back side of the par-72, 7,150-yard East Course layout. Shepherd, Larkin Gross, and Aaron Purviance both each had two birdies over the last nine holes. Shepherd finished with a team-best 69, followed by Chinn (70), Gross (71), and Purviance (72).

Washington and Lee maintained its second-place standing with a four-over 292 Thursday. Sophomore Brian Peccie continued his fine tourney with his second straight three-under 69, which moved him into sole possession atop the 217-man leaderboard. Peccie is seven-under par after 54 holes and has a three-stroke edge on Greensboro College’s Levi Grogan, who delivered a 70 Thursday. Second-round leader Austin Wells of Otterbein University had an eagle on the par-five 18th hole but finished two-over for the day at 74 and shares third place with Shepherd at three-under 213 for the tournament.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College’s Alex Wrenn climbed 23 spots into ninth place with a three-under 69, which matched Peccie and Shepherd for the day’s low score.

Tournament co-host Guilford College shot 298 Thursday. James Mishoe’s one-over 73 led the Quakers, who led after the first and second rounds. Zach Evens (74), Josh Hill (75) and Addison Manring (76) also provided counting scores for the Quakers.

The 72-hole tournament concludes Friday on Grandover’s East Course beginning at 7:30.

Guilford and the Greensboro Sports Commission have teamed up to co-host the Division III Men’s Golf Championships at Grandover four times in the past eight years, most recently in 2015. Wittenberg is the defending national champion. Guilford won the Division III crown in 2002 and 2005.

To follow the NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championships online, visit NCAA.com. For Jim Schlosser’s NCAA Tournament Notebook, visit www.guilfordquakers.com. For daily video interviews, visit Guilford’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/GuilfordAthletics.