PRATTVILLE, Ala. – The second-ranked Washington and Lee University men's golf team battled through wind, rain, and soggy conditions to post a 1-under-par 287 in the opening round of the Capital City Classic on Monday, finishing the day in second place at RTJ Golf Trail at Capitol Hill (Par 72, 7,243 yards).
Originally scheduled as a 54-hole tournament, the event was shortened due to severe weather and flooding in the region. Teams were unable to hold a practice round, and the first round was delayed to an 11 a.m. CT start because of the lingering course conditions. Despite the challenges, W&L was one of just two teams to finish under par.
Host Huntingdon College leads the national field with a 4-under 284, while Carnegie Mellon and Kenyon are tied for third at +1 (289). The round played tough, with the field's scoring average at 76.49 strokes across 90 rounds.
Team Performance Highlights:
- Par 3 Scoring: 3.20 avg. (+4) – T-3rd overall
- Par 4 Scoring: 4.04 avg. (+2) – T-2nd overall
- Par 5 Scoring: 4.80 avg. (-4) – Best in the field
- Total Pars: 67 – Most among all teams
- Total Birdies: 11
- Most Pars by a Player: McEwen, Braxton, Kaufman – 15 pars each
Individual Highlights:
- Sophomore Jonathan McEwen is in a four-way tie for first after a bogey-free 3-under 69. He carded 15 pars and three birdies, including two on his final three holes. He played 1-under on par 3s, 2-under on par 4s, and even on par 5s, tying for the best par 3 and par 4 scoring in the field.
- Senior Elias Malakoff sits tied for 11th (E, 72) after recording four birdies and four bogeys, including a 3-under mark on par 5s (4.25 avg.), one of the best in the field.
- Senior Will Braxton and first-year Timothy Kaufman are both tied for 17th at +1 (73). Braxton played the par 4s even, while Kaufman recorded a birdie on the 17th and played 1-under on par 5s (4.75 avg.). Both players erased one of their two bogeys with a birdie.
- First-year Charlie Krasnewich is tied for 36th at +3 (75) after bouncing back from a double bogey on his opening hole with a birdie later in the round to settle into rhythm.
Up Next:
The Generals return to the course for the second and final round of the Capital City Classic on Tuesday, April 9, with tee times beginning at 8 a.m. CT.
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.
