Freshmen lead record-breaking season opener
VENTURA, Calif. – Individual and team records were toppled in the 2022-23 opening tournament for the Chapman University men's golf team. With a pair of newcomers leading the way, the Panthers set their school record for the lowest three-round tournament score.
Conner Conley began his Chapman career at the top of the record book with four-under par score of 212 at the CA State Intercollegiate and took eighth place overall. Conley made his Panther debut with a three-under 69 in the opening round and duplicated that score in Tuesday's third round. To set the school record, Conley eagled the 18th in the third round. He was six-under for the tournament on par fives and made 10 birdies throughout the 54 holes.
Newcomer Zach Lipfield also made an immediate impact in his Chapman debut with an opening round 70 (-2). He shot a 71 (-1) in the second round and was four-over to finish with a 217 (+1) in 19th. After opening with an 80 (+8), Bradley Lu finished the tournament with a three-under 69 – tying his career-low. Lu jumped up the leaderboard 20 spots on the final to finish 34th.
Charlie Shumway finished one stroke behind Lu in took 39th overall, shooting 76-74-75. Jackson Palmer had a solid tournament with a 76-76-77, taking 52nd.
As a team, the Panthers put together the lowest score in Chapman history with an 874 (+10), beating the previous record by three strokes. Chapman's best day came in Tuesday's third round when the Panthers shot a 289 (+1) – missing the school record by four strokes for a single round.
Despite Chapman's historically low score, all 10 teams put out low scores with The Master's College winning the team title 15-under par. Chapman took eighth as a team but were just four strokes behind sixth place.
The Panthers return to the course on Oct. 9-10 for the Chapman Quad.
By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director
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