Men's Golf | September 22

DURHAM, N.C. – Senior Craig Long (Alpharetta, Ga./Milton) had his first top-five finish of the season on Tuesday as the Northern Illinois University men's golf team wrapped up play at the Rod Myers Invitational, hosted by Duke at Duke University Golf Club. Severe weather in the area shortened this week's tournament to 36 holes.
 
Long tied for third with a two-round score of six-under par 138. He started the tournament with a bogey-free round of 67 on Monday morning, his lowest round of the season. Long posted a 71 in the second round highlighted by an eagle on the par-five ninth hole. This is Long's third top-five finish in his career.
 
NIU had a team score of six-under par 282 in the first round Monday, which put the Huskies in a tie for third with Harvard and two strokes behind Xavier. Two other Huskies went under par on Monday to compliment Long's 67. Conner McCall (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) had a two-under par 70 and Patrick Raupp (Arlington Heights, Ill./Prospect) added a 71. It was NIU's second-lowest team round score of the season.
 
"This was a great response from last week," said head coach John Carlson. "It was a total team effort against a strong field. Craig's play shined as he drove the ball great and gave himself many birdie looks."
 
The Huskies had a team score of 292 on Tuesday to finish tied for seventh with Furman at -2. Beau Petersen (Gretna, Neb./Gretna) got into the scoring group on Tuesday with a one-over par 73. Raupp and Jack Mulligan (Burr Ridge, Ill./Hinsdale Central) both had second-round 74s. UNC Greensboro won the tournament by five strokes over UNC Wilmington.
 
NIU faces a quick turnaround before it's next event. The Huskies will play in Wisconsin's Badger Invitational beginning Sunday, Sept. 27 at University Ridge.
 
--NIU--