Men's Golf | 10/6/2014 6:18:00 PM

Leaderboard
 
COON RAPIDS, Minn.—MIAC Champions. How good does that sound?
 
Well embrace it because the Bethel University men's golf team claimed their first conference title in program history Monday afternoon by shooting a 297 in the final round of the MIAC Championships at the par-72, 6,877-yard Bunker Hills Golf Course. The Royals held a three-stroke lead heading into the final day and held on to win by six strokes over the closest competitor thanks to 12 birdies throughout the final day of play. BU's 297 tied for the lowest round all weekend and their 906 throughout the three days sets a record for lowest total among any previous golf team at Bethel.
 
Three members of the Bethel squad finished among the All-Conference squad, which required that players finish the tournament in the Top 10. Dillon John and Bennett Smed tied for fourth place throughout the 54 holes played with a three-day total of 225 strokes. Ironically, their scores were almost identical, as each shot a 76 Saturday, and the two flip-flopped a 74 and 75 the next two days. John tallied four birdies Monday, while Smed finished with three.
 
Alex Case tied for eighth among the 50 golfers competing, carding a 228 throughout the weekend. Case recorded a 78 on Saturday, followed by a pair of 75's on Sunday and Monday.
 
Case's teammate Grant Exsted shook off an 83 Saturday, by shooting a 78 Sunday and a team-low 73 on Monday to help the Royals take the crown. Exsted finished with a 234 throughout the tourney. AJ Oster tallied an 81 Monday, giving him a final score of 237 throughout the weekend. All five players were among the top 26 or higher.
 
With the MIAC Championship, Bethel's men's golf will receive an automatic qualification to the 2015 NCAA Championships held in May at the Grandover Resort and Conference Center in Greensboro, N.C.