TORRINGTON, Wyo. – Eastern Wyoming College Lancer golf team finished first in The Battle at The Dance, held March 18-19 at Raindance golf course in Windsor, Colorado. Hasting’s College hosted the NCAA tournament.
The Lancers finished with a +15, followed by Midland College with a +19, and
“Raindance is an amazing course, it was a real treat to get to compete there,” EWC head golf coach Zach Smith said. “The guys played well enough the first day to be tied for first going into day two. We definitely left some shots out there on day one and were focused going into day two. We played much better on day two.”
The Lancers battled back and forth with Midlands all day “but late in the round the guys had a barrage of birdies and were able to close things out,” Smith added.
Lancer Taiki Sugawara finished in ninth place overall with a +1. Fellow Lancer Ryker Dunkley finished the tournament in 14th place with a +5. University of Colorado golfer Jack Holland won the Battle at the Dance with a -12.
Other Lancer golfers competing included Braylon Bingham, Josh Chapman, and Leander Suttka.
“I’m proud of the way all the guys played both days,” Smith said. “It was a great first tournament of the season.”
Five Lancer Golfers Finish in Top 10
Eastern Wyoming College had five golfers finish in the top 10 at the Lamar Community College/Otero College Tournament in Lamar and LaJunta, Colorado, March 21-22.
The Lancers Taiki Sugawara finished in second place with a -2, two strokes ahead of teammate Tytan Birchell who finished in third place with an E. Fellow Lancer Ryker Dunkley finished in seventh with a +4. Lancers Braylon Bingham and Suttka Leander finished in a tie for eighth with a +5. Lancer Joshua Chapman finished in 13th with a +8.
“I was very excited for Taiki this week. He was our highest finisher at both tournaments,” EWC head golf coach Zach Smith said.
Sugawara and the Lancer golfers had finished on the top of the leader board a few days earlier at The Battle at The Dance tournament in Windsor, Colorado. Sugawara finished in ninth place overall with a +1 In Windsor.
As a team, the Lancers topped the leaderboard with a +1. Central Wyoming College finished second with a +15, followed by Otero College with a +16.
“The guys had a great week of golf,” Smith said. “It feels great to start the season with two win’s, especially with one of them being at an NCAA tournament. We rode the momentum from The Battle at The Dance earlier in the week to have a strong first day in Lamar.”
Next up for the Lancers will be a trip to the McCook Community College Tournament in McCook, Nebraska March 28-29.
