INDIANA, Pa. – The West Liberty University men's golf team turned in a strong opening round Tuesday at the Cecil C. Spadafora IUP Invitational, finishing the first day tied for fourth place at Indiana Country Club.

The Hilltoppers posted a team score of +14, placing them alongside Gannon and just five strokes off the lead. Host Indiana University of Pennsylvania leads the field at +9, while West Chester and Pitt-Johnstown sit tied for second at +12.

West Liberty was paced by a pair of steady rounds from Justin Doerr and Ethan Cook, who each finished inside the top 10 individually. Doerr carded a +1 round of 72 to lead the Hilltoppers, while Cook followed closely with a +2 (73).

Brandon Lawhon added another solid score for the Black and Gold, finishing at +3 (74) to give West Liberty three golfers in the top 15 after day one.

Rounding out the lineup, Adam Gill shot a +8 (79), while Carter Stewart posted a +14 (85).

As a team, the Hilltoppers showed consistency throughout the round, positioning themselves firmly in contention heading into Wednesday's final round. With a tightly packed leaderboard, West Liberty sits just two strokes out of second place and within striking distance of the tournament lead.

Round Two Tee Times

West Liberty will tee off beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday:

• Hole 4 – Justin Doerr

• Hole 5A – Brandon Lawhon

• Hole 5B – Ethan Cook

• Hole 6 – Adam Gill

• Hole 7 – Carter Stewart 
  
  
  
  West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.