SAVANNAH, Ga. – The No. 1-ranked Washington and Lee University men's golf team captured its second consecutive team title this season with a come-from-behind win at The Savannah Invitational. The Blue and White chipped away at an 18-shot deficit over the last six holes allowing the Generals to finish at 9-under-par (288-282-285—855). The Generals passed No. 2 Methodist (-8) by one stroke to secure the championship, while sophomore Jonathan McEwen claimed individual medalist honors with a three-round total of 208 (-8).

W&L opened the tournament with an even-par 288, positioning itself among the leaders behind McEwen's 2-under 70 and Will Braxton's -1 scorecard. The team gained momentum in the second round, shooting a 282 (-6) with four players under par, including McEwen's 4-under 68 and Charlie Krasnewich's 2-under 68, which featured an eagle on Hole 11 (Par 5).

In the final round, W&L remained steady compared to the first two rounds and fired off a 285 (-3) to claim the title thanks to the nine birdies and eagle on the final six holes of Tuesday afternoon. In addition to completing the comeback the Generals faced plenty of weather-related adversity with winds reaching 25 miles per hour.

 McEwen's final-round 70 (-2) helped him jump into first place overall, while Timothy Kaufman (-3 total) and Krasnewich (+1 total) each climbed the leaderboard into the top-20. Braxton's round was highlighted by an eagle on the first hole, and Braxton, Krasnewich and Elias Malakoff improved double-digit positions in the individual standings. All five Generals finished in the top-half of the 100-player, 20-team field and outplayed 16 teams ranked in the national DIII polls.

The Generals led all teams in par-3 scoring (-4, 2.93 avg.), finished second in par-5 scoring (-12, 4.80 avg.), and ranked second in total birdies (52) while recording the second-fewest bogeys (45) across three rounds.

Final Team Standings (Top 5):

1. No. 1 Washington and Lee – 855 (-9)
2. No. 2 Methodist – 856 (-8) (fell one spot in final round)
3. No. 5 Sewanee – 865 (+1) (rose two spots on the leaderboard in final round)
4. No. 4 Emory – 870 (+6) (held position from Round 2)
5. No. 7 Oglethorpe – 876 (+12) (dropped two spots after a strong second round)

Emory's Michael Berry and Greensboro's Watcharakan Chankarn posted the best individual rounds of the tournament, both shooting 5-under 67s in the second round. Oglethorpe combined for a tournament-best 9-under team score in Round 2.

Team Performance Highlights:

• Par 3 Scoring: -4, 2.93 avg. (1st in team scoring)
• Par 4 Scoring: +17, 4.11 avg. (4th in team scoring)
• Par 5 Scoring: -12, 4.80 avg. (2nd in team scoring)
• Total Birdies: 52 (2nd in the field)
• Total Pars: 165 (T-6th in the field)
• Total Eagles: 2 (Krasnewich, Braxton)
• Total Bogeys: 45 (2nd fewest in the field, only 6 double bogeys)

Individual Highlights:

• Sophomore Jonathan McEwen captured the individual championship, shooting 70-68-70—208 (-8). He tied for first in par-3 scoring (-3, 2.75 avg.) and par-4 scoring (-2, 3.93 avg.), and led W&L with 13 birdies.
• First-year Timothy Kaufman tied for 4th place at 213 (-3), recording 11 birdies and finishing 3-under on par 5s.
• First-year Charlie Krasnewich tied for 17th place at 217 (+1), ranking second in the field in par-5 scoring (-5 total) and posting nine birdies and an eagle.
• Senior Elias Malakoff tied for 38th place at 221 (+5), sinking 12 birdies and finishing 2-under on par 5s.
• Senior Will Braxton tied for 43rd place at 222 (+6), recording seven birdies and an eagle on Hole 1 (Par 4).

Up Next:

The Generals return to action on March 9-10 at The Tiger Invitational, a 36-hole tournament at Forest Creek Golf Club, hosted by Hampden-Sydney College.

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.