Men's Golf | 9/30/2026 2:02:00 PM
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — The LeMoyne Owen College men's golf team finished ninth overall at the Battle for the Belt at Hot Springs Country Club, closing out three rounds of competition against a competitive field.
The tournament marked a different result for the Magicians after entering Hot Springs on the heels of back-to-back second-place finishes, but LOC still produced several notable individual performances throughout the 54-hole event.
Maximus Knight led the way for LeMoyne Owen, finishing the tournament at 6-over par with a three-round total of 222. Knight opened with his best round of the tournament, firing a 2-under 70 on the par-72 Arlington Course. His opening round featured an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole along with four birdies.
Knight followed his opening 70 with rounds of 77 and 75, giving him the lowest 54-hole total among the Magicians.
Dalton Wilkes responded strongly after a difficult opening round. Following an 84 in Round 1, Wilkes came back with a 1-over 73 in the second round, including four birdies, before closing with a 77. His three-round total of 234 placed him at 18-over par.
Felipe Guido also provided one of LOC's strongest rounds of the tournament. Guido shot 82 in the opening round before improving by six strokes with a 76 in Round 2. He made the turn at 2-under 34 during that round and recorded an eagle on the par-5 ninth hole. Guido finished with a 78 in the final round for a 236 (+20) total.
The Magicians also received strong final-round responses from Ryan Darland and Ryan Broderick. Darland closed with a 75 (+3) after rounds of 82 and 84, while Broderick also fired a final-round 75, improving 15 strokes from his opening-round 90.
LOC's individual competitors William Ferguson and Joao "Lucky" Skolnik also completed all three rounds. Ferguson posted rounds of 81, 81 and 79 to finish at 241 (+25), while Skolnik recorded rounds of 82, 82 and 81 for a 245 (+29) total.
Although the ninth-place team finish snapped LeMoyne Owen's streak of consecutive runner-up performances, Hot Springs provided another opportunity for head coach Dominique Worthen's young lineup to gain valuable tournament experience before the conclusion of the fall schedule.
LeMoyne Owen will have one final opportunity to compete this fall before turning its attention toward the spring 2027 season. The Magicians will close their fall schedule Oct. 23-25 at the Bill Crabtree Invitational at The Pearl Club in Owensboro, Kentucky.
The three-day event will mark LOC's fifth and final tournament of the fall season. After a fall that has featured back-to-back runner-up finishes and several strong individual performances from a young lineup, head coach Dominique Worthen and the Magicians will look to finish the fall on a strong note before returning to competition in the spring of 2027.
