Park University’s golf programs, both men’s and women’s, are halfway through their fall season. The golf programs play almost an identical fall schedule, competing at the same courses on the same day. The men’s team has yet to finish below the top half through their three matches, and both programs already have an overall match victory under their belt.

The Pirates’ golf season officially began on September 12 at the Ottawa University Invitational in Lawrence, Kan. The men’s team finished third out of 11 teams with a day one score of 312 and a day two score of 297 for a tournament total of 609. Park finished just six shots behind second-place Kansas City Kansas Community College and 10 shots behind tournament-winner Ottawa University. Junior Wes Buntenbach led the way for Park, shooting a two-day total of 148 and finishing four strokes over par. Freshman Ryan Tatten also recorded a top 15 finish in the field of 59. Tatten posted a 155 and tied for 13^th.

Eagles Bend was not quite as kind to Park’s women’s program. The Pirates finished fifth out of nine teams with a total tournament score of 710. Senior Genevieve Stelmacovich and junior Leeah Shipley both finished in the top 15. Stelmacovich recorded a 164 for 11^th place while Shipley was just three strokes behind her for 13^th.

After a 24-day hiatus, both programs traveled to Maryville, Mo., on October 6. Mozingo Lake represented the toughest course Park would play all year with a slope rating of 134. Both programs dominated, however, each recording a first-place finish. The men’s team outshot seven other teams and was a full 23 shots ahead of second-place Iowa Central Community College. Four Pirates ended the tournament in the top 10: Junior Zach Spencer finished 10^th, freshman Yannick Koehnen tied for fourth, freshman William Wilk finished third and Tatten posted the lowest two-day individual score of the tournament with a two under par 142. The women’s program also tallied their first overall match tournament, albeit against a substantially smaller field. Senior Rachel Hoffman finished first overall posting a two-day score of 170, while Leeah Shipley came in second with a 180.

Three days later, Park’s golf programs competed at the William Woods Fall Invitational in Fulton Mo. The Tanglewood golf course proved to be Park’s toughest challenge so far; both programs posted their lowest tournament rank of the season. The men’s program finished fifth out of 10 teams with a 16 over par team score of 592. Park ended with one player inside the top 20. Buntenbach posted an impressive two under par 142 and finished sixth. First place William Woods university (-9) and second place Columbia College (-8) ran away with the tournament and were the only teams to score under par.

The women’s program didn’t fare much better, finishing third out of four teams. Park recorded a two-day score of 658, just 17 strokes behind second place William Woods University. Hoffman represented Park’s low score of the tournament with a nine over par 153 and a tie for fourth place. Hoffman was also the lone player in the 26-golfer field to shoot par on day two. Stelmacovich also finished in the top half; she posted a tournament total 164 for sole possession of 13^th place.

Both programs will be in action next on October 23 as they host the Park University Fall Classic at the National Golf Club in Kansas City.