Graceland Men's Golf Starts Season Strong at War at the Moor in Creston
Creston, Iowa – The Graceland University men's golf team opened its 2024 season with a solid performance at the War at the Moor tournament, held at Crestmoor Golf Club and hosted by Southwestern Community College. The event saw the largest field in its history, featuring 63 golfers from 12 teams. Graceland came close to breaking 300 as a team, marking an encouraging start to the season.
The weather provided ideal playing conditions, but the course itself, particularly the greens, presented a notable challenge. The bowl-shaped greens at Crestmoor Golf Club were difficult to read and required an extra level of precision. The quick speed of the greens made putting especially tricky, adding an additional layer of complexity to the competition.
Saxen Hii delivered an outstanding performance for Graceland, finishing third overall with a 2-under-par score, the best individual showing for the Yellowjackets. Hii's consistent play throughout the day helped guide the team in a highly competitive field.
Graceland Golfers' Finishes:
- 3rd – Saxen Hii: -2
- 18th – Noah Hughes: +1
- 23rd – Jonathan Paramananthan: +2
- 45th – Lennard Bliem: +11
- 45th – Griffin Haugh: +11
Head Coach Kevin Brunner was pleased with the team's performance and the valuable experience gained by his younger players. "This was a great learning opportunity for our freshmen, and as a team, we had a solid score," Brunner said. "We were very close to breaking 300 in our first tournament of the season, which is a great start. Saxen performed exceptionally well, and the team did a good job adjusting to the fast, tricky greens here at Crestmoor."
Brunner emphasized the challenge posed by the greens, noting that they were unlike most the team typically encounters. "The greens were bowl-shaped and fast, which made them difficult to read and navigate. The team managed the conditions well, which is encouraging moving forward."
In addition to Hii's stellar performance, Noah Hughes finished in a tie for 18th with a score of 1-over-par, while Jonathan Paramananthan turned in a solid round to finish tied for 23rd at 2-over-par. Freshmen Lennard Bliem and Griffin Haugh finished tied for 45th, each shooting 11-over-par in their collegiate debut.
The War at the Moor tournament, known for its competitive field, provided an early-season test for Graceland. Despite the challenges posed by both the course and the strong competition, the Yellowjackets showed that they can compete at a high level.
Southwestern Community College hosted the tournament at the picturesque Crestmoor Golf Club, with this year's field being the largest ever. Graceland's strong showing against such deep competition sets a positive tone for the rest of the season.
Looking ahead, Graceland will aim to build on this strong start as it continues its fall schedule. With valuable experience gained from the War at the Moor, the Yellowjackets are well-positioned to improve and push toward breaking 300 as a team in future events.
For more information on the men's golf team and all of Yellowjacket athletics, visit GUjackets.com.