GROVE CITY, Pa. - The Bethany College men's golf team competed at the Grove City Fall Invitational hosted by Grove City (Pa.) College at the Grove City Country Club.

Bethany fielded one team as the Green and White competed against 15 other teams from 12 schools with a total of 97 golfers in the Invitational: the biggest tournament so far this season. The Bison finished eighth overall with a score of 309 (+21) while fellow Presidents' Athletic Conference member Saint Vincent (Pa.) College won the Invitational with a four-player even score of 288. Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College finished second with a score of 292 (+4) and Mount Aloysius (Pa.) College rounded out the top three with a score of 300 (+12).

All-PAC junior Jude Smith (Weirton, W.Va./Weir) led the Bison once again after shooting an even 72 on the day including a 34 (-2) on the front nine and a 38 (+2) on the back half to finish tied for fourth overall for his sixth career top-five finish. His round consisted of four birdies and 12 pars as he was second-best in Par 4 hole average with 3.9 strokes and was fourth on Par 5 holes with a 4.5 average stroke.

Junior Samuel Phillips (Charleston, W.Va./Herbert Hoover) finished second on the team and helped lead the Bison by firing a season-best 77 (+5) with pars on 14 of his 18 holes: a tournament best. He finished the first half of the course just one over par and tied for 23rd overall averaging 3.25 strokes on Par 3 holes, 4.2 strokes on Par 4 holes, and 5.5 on Par 5 holes.

Rounding out the team score was junior Payton Hildebrand (Wellsburg, W.Va./Wheeling Central Catholic) and freshman Brayden Roberts (Franklin, Ky./Franklin-Simpson) who each carded a round of 80 (+8). Hildebrand was third on the team with 10 pars and averaged 4.75 strokes on Par 5 holes while Roberts parred nine times and averaged an even three strokes on Par 3 holes to lead the team. Each notched two birdies and tied for 45th overall

Although not part of the team score, freshman Ian Longo (Winchester, Va./James Woods) had the best round of his young career after also shooting a 77 (+5). He finished tied for 23rd overall with three birdies and had a 4.75 average on Par 5 holes.

Freshman Jacob Bursey (Winchester, Va./James Woods) was the final golfer for Bethany at the Invitational as he penciled in an 86 (+14) with three birdies to land him tied for 74th place.

The Bison are back in action on Monday, October 6 as they travel to Centerville, Pennsylvania to compete at the Waynesburg Fall Invitational hosted by Waynesburg (Pa.) University at 9 a.m. at the Nemacolin Country Club.