Cheng Leads Dukes in Arizona Spring Opener

Sunday, February 25

Palm Valley Golf Course | Goodyear, Ariz.

James Madison University

Loyola Intercollegiate

2/27/2024 6:39:00 PM | Men's Golf

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Daniel Cheng tallied 14 birdies at the Loyola Invitational to finish tied for 16th and James Madison men's golf recorded a 13th-place finish in its spring opener at the Loyola Intercollegiate, hosted at the Palm Valley Golf Club and its par-72, 7,015-yard layout.

In the field of 20 teams, five Dukes combined to shoot four-under 860 over three days in Arizona. After opening with a first-round aggregate score of 296 (+8), JMU climbed the leaderboards with an eight-under 288 team score in the second round, the sixth-best round total for a team throughout the tournament. After concluding play with a third-round 288 (E), the Dukes closed in 13th place.

Sigurður Blumenstein competed during the weekend as an individual, with his tournament best also being in his second round, where he carded a 69 (-3) with five birdies.

Day 1

Kose fired a team-best 71 on the first day in Arizona. The Holly Springs, N.C. native recorded seven birdies on the day, including three consecutively on holes five, six, and seven. At the end of the first round, Kose finished at the highest position for JMU, tied for 27th.
Blumenstein scored an eagle on the second hole and finished the opening day tied for 57th.

Day 2

An impressive second round saw the Dukes record the sixth-best team score across the entire tournament.
Cheng led the team with seven birdies, finishing five-under-par (67), which broke him into the Top 20 individually.
Nick Schlickenrieder tied Cheng with a 67 (-5) but was just behind him with six birdies on the day.
Vaclav Tichy also broke 70, with a three-under-par round of 69.
JMU tallied 30 birdies in the second round.
Five Dukes shot their tournament-best round on the second day to help the team move up nine spots into 11th place.

Day 3

Kose knocked in an eagle on the 14^th hole and finished the day even (72).
Cheng tallied another four birdies to bring his total to 14 on the week and finished one-under-par on the day to complete the tournament in 16^th place out of 116 golfers.
Schlickenrieder collected three more birdies to finish T-33 and two strokes under par (214). Kose fired a par final round (72) to complete the tournament +2 at 218 and tied for 57th. Tichy shot a 73 on the final round to finish tied for 69th, and Alexandrew D'Aurelle tied for 104th out of 116, shooting a 226.
As an individual, Blumenstein also concluded tied for 57th through his three rounds at two-over-par (218).
JMU finished in 13^th out of 20 teams in their first competition of the spring season.

What's Next
The Dukes will play in the Ross Collegiate in Southern Pines, N.C. from March 11-12.