Mustangs Jump Up Two Spots to Claim Sixth at NAIA National Preview

SILVIS, Ill. — Mount Mercy placed sixth at the NAIA National Preview on Tuesday at TPC Deere Run, closing with a team score of 609 across two rounds. Marian (Ind.) claimed the team title at 594, followed by Hastings at 598, Northwestern (Iowa) at 601 and Missouri Baptist at 603.

Frederick Walker led the Mustangs individually, tying for 13th with a 149 after rounds of 76 and 73. Lincoln Beckett would end his tournament in a tie for 27th, shooting rounds of 73 and 80 for a tournament total of 153. Beckett ended round one inside the top 10 in a tie for seventh.

Ziwen Zhong was just two shots behind Beckett, ending his tournament in a tie for 34th with a 155, carding rounds of 81 and 74, improving his totals by seven shots over the course of the tournament. Sitting just inside the top 50 was Frank Haege, ending in a tie for 46th with a score of 157. Haege saw a massive leap over his two rounds, carding an 83 in round one before improving by nine shots, firing a 74 in round two.

Mount Mercy's second-round 301 tied for the second-lowest score of the day, helping the Mustangs climb into the top six. The team's overall 609 matched Freed-Hardeman for sixth place, four shots behind fifth-place Indiana Wesleyan.