SHARON, Pa. - The Bethany College men's golf team competed in the 2026 Thiel Spring Invitational hosted by Thiel (Pa.) College at Avalon at Buhl Park Country Club.

The Bison were back in action against a full field that included eight Presidents' Athletic Conference teams as the Bison carded a team score of 306 (+26) on the 70-par course while conference foe Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College took home first place with a four-player score of 292 (+12).

Leading the way for the Bison individually was All-PAC junior Jude Smith (Weirton, W.Va./Weir) who tied for second among the 60-player field with a round of 71 (+1) trailing the Presidents' Matthew Morelli by only two strokes. He notched a par on 15 of his 18 holes while also shooting a birdie on the tenth hole to pave the way for the Green and White.

Junior Payton Hildebrand (Wellsburg, W.Va./Wheeling Central Catholic) and freshman Jacob Bursey (Winchester, Va./James Wood) each also had a good day at Avalon as they both shot a 78 (+8) to tie for 15th place overall. Hildebrand finished the day with 12 pars and a couple of bogeys while Bursey added seven pars and completed the par-five seventh hole in four strokes.

Sophomore Nash Hays (Heath, Ohio) rounded out the Bison team score with a round of 79 (+9) that included Bethany's second birdie on the tenth hole and placed him tied for 24th.

Also golfing for the Green and White were junior Samuel Phillips (Charleston, W.Va./Herbert Hoover), graduate Troy Hixson (Grove City, Ohio/Bishop Ready), and sophomore Lincoln Pablo (Tulalip, Wash./Heritage).

Phillips fired an 85 (+15) on the day with a third-hole birdie and seven pars.

Hixson followed close behind with an 87 (+17) that included five pars.

Pablo shot a 96 (+26) on the day with a 38 (+3) coming on the front nine.

The Bison are back in action on Thursday, April 9 as they host the Bethany Spring Invitational at 12 p.m. at Oglebay Park.