Elmhurst Invitational (April 14)
Governors State men’s golf hit the fairways at Salt Creek Golf Club for the Elmhurst Invitational, navigating tight doglegs and fast greens in a single-day showdown. Zach Hickman led the Jaguars with a solid 78, showing consistency in approach shots and greenside control. Jack Hayhurst followed closely with an 80, and Ryan Fontaine posted an 85 to help pace the team’s overall effort.
While the Jaguars finished 11th overall, the invitational offered a valuable tune-up as players adjusted swings, tested new course strategies, and aimed to trim strokes ahead of their biggest meet yet.
April 18–19 Invitational (Two-Day Meet)
At this two-day tournament hosted by Illinois Central College, the Jaguars faced off against some of the region’s strongest NJCAA and NAIA teams—and showed clear signs of growth.
Jack Hayhurst opened with an 83, leading GovState in the opening round and demonstrating smart course management under pressure. Zach Hickman put up a strong 78 in round one, tying for the team’s lowest score of the day. Trevor Stout, Louis Wappler, and Dan Danvila each carded rounds in the mid-80s, rounding out a team performance that landed GovState in 13th place heading into Day 2.
Although the team sat in the lower tier of the standings, their performance showed signs of improvement from their earlier outing at Elmhurst, with several players already poised to bounce back.
Day two saw critical rebounds from multiple Jaguars. Ryan Fontaine cut seven strokes from his Day 1 round to shoot a 79—his best performance of the season so far. Jack Hayhurst followed up with an 81 to stay consistent over both days, finishing +20 overall. Trevor Stout and Dan Danvila each shot 83s on Day 2, marking steady play and signs of deeper team depth.
Austin Bjes rounded out the group, finishing with an 89 after posting 85 on Day 1. Notably, while GovState remained in 13th place as a team, they closed with a lower combined score on Day 2, signaling improvement in both focus and execution across the board.
Next Up: CCAC Conference Championship (April 27–29)
The Jaguars now turn their focus to the CCAC Championship at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois—a course that rewards accuracy and rewards patient, strategic play. With key players like Hayhurst, Hickman, and Fontaine finding their rhythm and the rest of the roster building consistency, GovState is looking to turn their recent growth into a statement finish at the conference.