JOPLIN, MISSO. - Poor golf conditions and numerous weather delays have grabbed the early headlines at the 2024 NJCAA Division II Golf Championships at Twin Hills Golf & Country Club; however, it was the NJCAA's decision prior to Wednesday second round to institute a 36-hole that truly altered the landscape of the event. The cut line of the top 15 teams and the next top 24 individuals, unfortunately, left the Madison College out of the team competition after a two-day total of 639. Three WolfPack players, Brady Callmer, Peter Gustafson, and Brent Schmiesing, were able to qualify for Rounds 3 and 4 as individuals.

Round 1 (Team Results | Individual Results)

Madison College's eighth national tournament appearance and first at the Division II championships began with as the clock moved to the afternoon, and as the WolfPack made their way through the latter part of the back nine, play was halted due to severe rain and lightning. Tuesday's opening round resumed Wednesday morning and the Pack was sitting in 15th place when all play was completed. Madison College finished with a 322 that was one shot back of Illinois Central College in 14th place, and 21 strokes back of co-leaders Kirkwood Community College and Chandler-Gilbert Community College.

The trio of Brady Callmer, Brent Schmiesing and Alex Sutter all turned in rounds of eight-over-par 80 and tied for 56th place overall. Callmer overcame a double-bogey on the opening hole with a birdie on #2, and followed it up with five straight pars for a 38 on the outward nine. One birdie, three pars, and a triple on the back resulted in a 42 for the Edgerton, Wisconsin, product.

Schmiesing, playing in his second NJCAA national tournament in as many years, also had a triple bogey as part of his first nine. He recovered from a 41 to play the final six holes in -1 and shoot a 30 on the inward nine.

Sutter, a native of Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, produced his sixth round of 80 or better in his freshman season. The opening round included 11 pars and saw him shoot a three-over 35 on the back nine.

The final counted score came from freshman Peter Gustafson with an 82 (+10). His consecutive 41s included seven pars and one birdie, tying him for 80th place.

Second year Braeden Skifton was the WolfPack's fifth player on Tuesday and shot an 83 (+11) to reach a tie for 87th place. He tallied seven pars and the team's only eagle of the tournament as he posted a three on the Par 5 12th hole.

Grant Geazel of Kirkwood CC led the tournament with a one-under-par 71.

Round 2 (Team Results | Individual Results)

The tournament's second round got off to a slow start after lightning and rain halted play during the morning hours, and during a second delay midday, the NJCAA made its decision to enforce a 36-hole cut in an effort to lessen the field and maximize play time for the final two days.

The time of the decision allowed Madison College, and many of the teams playing with similar tee times, to compete with the knowledge of the looming cut. The WolfPack moved up and down the leaderboard throughout the round as eight teams separated by round ten strokes ebbed-and-flowed over 18 holes for the final few team spots.

Ultimately, Madison College faded over the final 3-5 holes and fell from 15th to 18th with a 317. Region 4 rival Black Hawk College secured the 15th and final spot with a 306 to finish six shots better than the WolfPack. Cleveland State Community College was 16th at 634 as those three teams played the opening two rounds together.

Gustafson, a native of Monticello, Wisconsin, started slow with bogeys on three of the first four holes before playing the remaining 14 holes at even par. He amassed 11 pars and two birdies to sign off on the team's lowest round of the tournament so far at three-over 75. It moved Gustafson up into a tie for 58th at 157 (+13).

Schmiesing's second round saw the Fitchburg, Wisconsin, native at five over through five holes. A birdie four on the Par 5 #6 rallied the sophomore to a string of nine holes at one-under en route to a seven-over 79 that earned him a tie for 74th with a 159 (+15).

Callmer followed up his opening round 80 with another round at plus-eight with nine pars and one birdie. He was tied for 81st at 160 (+16). Sutter enjoyed a solid opening nine on Wednesday with a four-over 40 that included five pars and a birdie. He managed just two pars on the back nine and shot 12-over 84 to tie for 98th.

Freshman Joe Cranley was subbed in for Skifton at the #5 spot for Round 2, and the native of Madison, Wisconsin, fired an 83. The 18-hole round included eight pars and one birdie, and saw the first year player put together a stretch of ten holes at even par.

Kirkwood's Greazel remained in atop the leaderboard with a four-under 140 after shooting 69 (-3) for Round 2, which concluded on Thursday morning.

For the tournament, Madison College was third best in the field on par 3s with a 3.55 average and an 11-over-par team total. They were sixth with a 4.63 average on par 4s, and 15th on par 5s with a 5.55 scoring average. The WolfPack was tied for last in both pars (33) and birdies (2) made; however, they were one of five teams to post an eagle.

Up Next:

After cuts were made, Madison College still had three players in the field. Brady Callmer will start Thursday's Round 3 at 10:09 a.m., followed by a 10:27 a.m. tee time for Brent Schmiesing and a 10:45 a.m. start for Peter Gustafson. Live scoring can be followed here.

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