Mineral Area golf places 9th at national tournament
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Mineral Area sophomore Will Dugal pitches from a hazard during the third round of the NJCAA Division II men’s golf tournament on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Ind. (Jayme Goetz Photo, NJCAA.org)
By MATT KING
PLYMOUTH, Ind. – The NJCAA Division II golf tournament offered a mixed bag of results for Mineral Area over four unpredictable days.
A rain-soaked opening round with three separate delays tested the patience and focus of 139 players, and forced some to postpone several holes until the next day.
Payton Strattman improved by 13 strokes comparing his last two rounds, and Colin Pini persevered to earn Second Team All-American status.
Will Dugal never found the form that earned eight separate event victories through two seasons, and fellow sophomore Gavin Huck was replaced in the lineup after a third-round collapse.
It all added up to a ninth-place team finish for the Cardinals at a collective 79-over par when action concluded Friday evening at Swan Lake Resort.
Mississippi Gulf Coast finished at 26-over to edge Illinois Central at 27-over for the team title. South Mountain (Ariz.) and Kirkwood (Iowa) completed the top four.
Stanley Campbell of Mississippi Gulf Coast became individual national champion at 5-under par, and highlighted his two-shot triumph with a 69 in round three on Thursday.
Mineral Area freshman Colin Pini watches his tee shot during the second round of the NJCAA Division II men’s golf tournament on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Ind. (Jayme Goetz Photo, NJCAA.org)
Reid Hall of Kirkwood was runner up at 3-under, and recovered from an opening 76 to improve each day. He capped a 67 and earned sole possession of second place with a birdie on the 72nd hole.
Trey Boecker of Illinois Central settled for third at 2-under, and delivered the tournament low round with 66 on Wednesday after eight birdies, including four straight to begin the back nine.
Pini was tied for sixth through 54 holes, and on pace for First Team honors until closing with a 79. A similar fade by other competitors bumped him slightly upward for a share of 15th place.
Pini achieved his best score of even 72 with three birdies on Wednesday, and was 12-over for the week. He birdied the par-5 fifth hole during all four rounds.
Aiden Steinmetz provided the second-best total for Mineral Area at 25-over after following up his 74 in round two with back-to-back 81s. He posted 77 on Tuesday despite a triple bogey at No. 6.
Dugal earned the Region 16 medalist distinction two weeks ago after shooting even par through 54 holes in Oklahoma City, but struggled from the outset in northern Indiana.
He negated three birdies with a six bogeys and two doubles in the opening round, then triple bogeyed the par-5 fourth on consecutive days. Dugal ended at 26-over (79, 79, 78. 78).
Strattman found a groove on Friday, and delivered the lone subpar round of the tournament for MAC. His fourth birdie came at the 17th and helped secure a 71.
It was quite a sudden turnaround for Strattman, who shot 84 in round three, and opened with an 82. He finished the event at 28-over.
Bradley Loss remained an alternate for the Cardinals until Friday, and birdied two of the first five holes on his way to a 76.
Huck peeled off three consecutive birdies along the back nine to card 75 on Tuesday, but was given the final round off after scuffling to an 88 on Thursday.
The Cardinals qualified as a full squad this season after winning their fourth straight Region 16 crown and placing second in the South Central District tournament.
