Owls finish eighth at fall season opener

9/16/2025 6:04:00 PM

GREENSBORO, N.C. – After opening up at No. 12 in the preseason Golf Coaches Association America Bushnell/Golfweek DIII Coaches Poll, the Kenyon College men's golf team teed it up in the team's first action of the fall season early this week at the Gate City Invitational hosted by Greensboro College at Forest Oaks Country Club.

Littered with teams in the top-25, the Owls managed to start the 2025-26 campaign strong with an eighth place finish out of 18 teams at seventeen-over par, led by junior Jonathan Oakes.

Although the Kenyon ace struggled on his starting hole with a double bogey, he immediately got things back on track en route to a 73 (+1) in the first round, highlighted by an eagle on the 551 par-five eleventh among three other birdies. He completed his front nine at even par despite two double bogeys and shot one over on his second nine.

In the second round, Oakes turned in the team's best round of the tournament, a three-under 69, which also tied for the fourth best round of the event. The junior made four birdies and just one bogey to cap off the round. He came back with an even par 72 in the final round with four more birdies to finish the tournament at -2, which slotted him eighth on the individual leaderboard of 96. Oakes also ranked second out of all golfers in par five scoring (-7) and tied for fourth in par three scoring (-1) for the event.

Fellow junior Jaiden Koonar finished next for the Owls at +5, good enough for 32nd on the individual leaderboard. Koonar carded an up and down 18 holes in round one, making four birdies but adding four bogeys and one double for a 74. He came back in round two with his best round of the tournament and the second best of the team, a two-under 70. He started the first 13 holes at two under par before adding two birdies and bogeys each. Despite not having his best stuff in the closing round, firing a 77, he still managed to sit second on the team's chart.

Third on the leaderboard for the Owls was sophomore Connor Gray, who led off his season with an 81, but quickly righted the ship in the final 36 holes. He holed one birdie in his second round for a 74 and had his best performance in the final round, hooping three birdies en route to an even par 72 and a T-60 on the individual leaderboard.

Adrian Jordan was up next for Kenyon and recorded four birdies in his opener, which he finished at 73. He struggled through an 82 in his second round with a 74 and three birdies to close things out at 68th individually.

Tied for third with 13 birdies for the invitational, Rafael Frias IV rounded out the Owls' quintet. He started out his season with four birdies and a 79 on the scorecard before carding a team-high five birdies but four bogeys or worse for a 74 in his second round. He closed things out with four more birdies, but a 78 on the scorecard.

As a team, Kenyon ranked inside the top 10 in par four scoring average (4.23) and par five scoring average (4.93) and tied for third in birdies (43), contending with a field consisting of 12 out of the top 25-ranked teams, even defeating two-time defending NCAA Division III champion Methodist.

Up next, the Owls will head to Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida to play in the NCAA Fall Preview from Mission Inn Resort and Club from September 21 to 23.

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