SANDESTIN, Fla. – The sixth-ranked Washington and Lee University men's golf team maintained its first-place position on Tuesday afternoon, concluding the 54-hole Golfweek October Classic with a record-breaking team score of -30 (274-268-280—822).

The Generals also secured the individual title, with senior Elias Malakoff (69-64-69--202, -11) and sophomore Jonathan McEwen (67-64-71--202, -11) tying for first place at 11 strokes under par, alongside Justin Chan of Carnegie Mellon.

Over the three days of competition, W&L set three new program records. On Monday, the team fired a total score of -16 (268) on the par-71, 6,623-yard Raven Golf Club course to rewrite the program's best singular round. The Generals finished Tuesday by breaking their previous 54-hole team record for the second time this year, surpassing it by 27 strokes. The prior record, set at the 2022 ODAC Tournament, was three strokes under par. Earlier this season, the Generals shot 23-under at the Gate City Invitational to set a new benchmark.

Both Malakoff and McEwen broke the previous program-low set by Pierce Robinson '23, who posted a total score of 206 (10 under par) at the 2023 ODAC Championships, a 54-hole tournament.

W&L's dominant performance included victories over 16 nationally ranked teams, including all five teams positioned higher in the GCAA Top-25 Coaches Poll: No. 1 Methodist (T-4th, -5), No. 2 Emory (14th, +13), No. 3 Carnegie Mellon (12th, +9), No. 4 Illinois Wesleyan (7th, E), and No. 5 Oglethorpe (6th, -3).
 

Team Standings (Top 3):

1. No. 6 Washington & Lee: -30 (822)
2. No. 21 Sewanee: -23 (829)
3. No. 13 LeTourneau: -6 (846)

Player Highlights:

• Elias Malakoff registered three straight rounds in the 60s and moved up in the standings today with his -2 card. Malakoff bogeyed three holes but countered with five birdies on Tuesday.
• Jonathan McEwen cooled off from his hot start, bogeying the first hole due to a pesky tree branch obstructing a chip onto the green. He added four birdies and was one stroke over par heading into the last hole. One stroke out of first place, McEwen sank a one-putt birdie on the 429-yard par-4 18th hole to secure a share of the individual title.
• Charlie Krasnewich climbed three positions to finish with a 68-69-69—206 (-7), tying for 6th place. The rookie was even on the front nine and two strokes under on the back, with just two holes over par on Tuesday.
• Tim Kaufman finished with a 70-73-71—214 card, one stroke over par. The first-year bounced back from a rough start on Monday, where he was three over par on the first three holes. To open play today, Kaufman played the first three holes one stroke under par, setting himself up for success. He finished tied for 33rd place.
• Will Braxton moved up two spots on the individual leaderboard, finishing five strokes over par and tied for 56th place in a field of 120. The senior's final card was 75-71-72—218 (+5).

By the Numbers:

• Par 4 Dominance: W&L led the field with an average of 3.92 (-11), outperforming all other teams. Notably, players Jonathan McEwen, Elias Malakoff, and Cameron Krasnewich were among the top in par 4 scoring, with McEwen averaging 3.78 (-6).
• Birdie Leaders: The Generals also led in birdies, totaling 74 across the tournament. Elias Malakoff and Jonathan McEwen tied as top birdie earners with 18 each, highlighting their aggressive and effective play.
• Strong Par 5 Performance: W&L was the top team on par 5s, averaging 4.82 (-11). Malakoff and McEwen each scored impressively, averaging 4.67 (-4) on these holes, contributing to their overall success.
• Par 3 Scoring: While W&L wasn't the top performer on par 3s, they still managed a respectable average of 2.99 (-1), with Charlie Krasnewich among the standout players on these holes, averaging 2.73 (-4).
• W&L players scored over par on just ten holes during Monday's record-breaking round.
• The Generals had only three individual rounds over par throughout the tournament, one per day, and none of those rounds were counted towards the team score.
• Washington & Lee University recorded a total of 150 pars and 74 birdies during the Golfweek October Classic.

UP NEXT

The Generals 'A Team' fall season concluded and will resume in the spring. 

Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.