HARRISONBURG, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College men’s golf team secured the Kinder-Williams tournament title for head coach Nick Schlickenrieder’s first win as Bridgewater head coach and behind sophomore Walker Gillespie’s tournament individual title with a –7 (137) at Lakeview Golf Course Tuesday.
“I am super proud of every single player on this team,” said Schlickenrieder. “To win the home event, we needed to show up as a team and we did. Everyone put in their best efforts, and it showed. Walker’s ability to perform under pressure when it really matters is unique and it finally got rewarded with a collegiate victory.”
The Eagles marked their first Tom Kinder-Williams tournament championship since 2011 and the team’s first tournament victory since 2023. In the tournament, the Crimson & Gold carded an impressive –4 (572) at the home invitational and stayed in front of No. 34 nationally ranked Christopher Newport the whole way in a field of 16 teams.
Gillespie never slowed down in the entire tournament. In the two-round tournament, the sophomore carded a 137 including a –3 (69) in the second round. Gillespie pulled ahead of the field with the help of an eagle on the first hole and two additional birdies on the front nine. On the back nine, Gillespie continued to impress with three more birdies to end with a 69 and a first-place finish ahead of nationally ranked Christopher Newport.
Bridgewater’s next finisher was senior Brandon Washburn. Washburn nailed a top-five finish in a tough field of golfers. In the second round, the senior carded a 71 remaining under par despite a digressed round. Washburn scored a –4 in the first round. Washburn received one birdie on No. 12 but still lifted his score slightly with two red numbers shortly after.
Freshman Jayden Hendricks landed promising scores in his first collegiate season for the Eagles. Hendricks successfully bounced back from a shaky front nine with a double bogey at No. 5 to then spot up an eagle at No. 6 and then three birdies; including another eagle at No. 14. Hendricks finished with a +2 (146) and a 15th place finish in a four-way tie.
Then, sophomore Cai Clark stayed consistent with just a stroke behind his first-round score of 75 to card a 76. Clark recorded two birdies in the second round but still rounded out his performance at a solid +1 and an overall +7 (151).
To round out the finishers from the ‘A Team’, senior Andrew Baugher placed 40th in a six-way tie for a +8 (152).
The Eagles return to play on Oct. 5-6 at the Sinking Valley Invitational.
— BC Athletics —
