JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. — After a long winter's nap, the Ave Maria Men's Golf team got back on the links and opened the spring season Monday and Tuesday at the Jekyll Island Golf Club Great Dunes course. The Gyrenes took 11^th place out of a field of 17 schools. AMU was led by Matt Mullen who finished in the top-10.

Mullen opened the tournament strongly with a 73 on the par-72 course. Mullen logged three birdies in the round with one in his first nine holes and two on the back nine. The other three Gyrenes to make the scorecard for the round were Ty Kaufman and Troy and Nason, each at 5-over-par, and Daniel Nycum at 6-over par. Nycum matched Mullen with three birdies as well. The Gyrenes ended the first round in 12^th place.

The second round was the best round of the tournament for the Gyrenes as a team, but they could not climb out of 11^th place. Again, Ave Maria was led by Mullen who improved on his first round by one stroke to finish even par. The round started out a little shaky for Mullen with two bogeys and a double bogey, but over the last 12 holes, Mullen recorded eight pars, four birdies and no bogeys. His final birdie was on his 17 hole to pull him even with par.

The other three Gyrenes to make the scorecard, Nycum, Nason and Neal Wheeler, all finished at 4-over par. The three also recorded two birdies and turned in a score of +12 for the round. Ave Maria jumped one spot on the leaderboard, passing Abraham Baldwin, and ended the first day of competition at 29-over par.

The final round was a little tougher all around the tournament and the Gyrenes were no exception. Ave Maria turned in their highest score of +27 but did not move on the leaderboard. Just like the first two rounds, Mullen led the way for the Gyrenes with a +3. He was followed by Kaufman and Nycum at +6 and Wheeler rounded out the group with a +9.

As a team, the Gyrenes finished nine strokes ahead of 12^th place Freed-Hardeman and eight strokes behind 10^th place SCAD.

Individually, Mullen placed tied for seventh out of a field of 88 golfers at 4-over par. Among golfers from the Sun Conference, Mullen finished tied for fourth. Kaufman and Nycum finished tied for 48^th place with a +16, Wheeler finished 58^th at +20 and Nason finished 64^th at +23.

Ave Maria is back out on the links March 2 and 3 when they take a trip out to the Grand Canyon State to compete in the OUAZ Invitational. It will be the first trip to Arizona for the Gyrenes since the spring 2023 season when Ave Maria finished seventh out of 11 teams.