Schuitema Leads Trojans to Title with Record-Breaking Performance

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Will Schuitema posted the lowest 36-hole total in Taylor's history and topped the leaderboard for TU's second-straight individual title, while leading the men's team to a second team crown in as many tournaments to open the fall season.

The Trojans ran away from the field of seven teams over the final 27 holes of the two-day Battle at Blackthorn at Blackthorn Golf Club. After jockeying for the lead in the first portion of Monday's opening round, TU found its rhythm and posted scores of 291 and 285 for a 19-shot gap over second-place Bethel and a 20-stroke lead over third-place Spring Arbor.

The rounds of 291 and 285 marked the two best team scores of the event and also gave Taylor four sub-300 scores in four rounds this fall, after posting just nine-such scores in 27 rounds last season.

The individual leaderboard reflected TU's dominance with all seven Trojans finishing inside the top-half of field of 45, led by the first collegiate title of Schuitema's standout career. The senior opened with a 68 on Monday, before posting a career-best score of 65 on Tuesday to finish his 36 holes at 11 strokes under par and four shots clear of the runner-up. The score of 11-under in a 36-hole tournament edged the former Taylor record of 10-under par set by Drew Pickering during the 2021-2022 season.

Tanner Conklin came in third with scores of 73 and 68 to finish at three-under par, and freshmen Davis Formsma and Aaron Fulda tied for ninth at plus-four for the tourney. Formsma and Fulda each posted career-best scores in Tuesday's final round to climb the leaderboard, with Formsma carding a 72 and Fulda shooting a two-under score of 70 to close out his first collegiate showing.

Kyle Kasitz followed his season-opening first-place finish at the Lawrence Tech Collegiate Kickoff by shooting a pair of 75's to finish in 15th, while Ben Oakley took 16th and Porter Dick ended in 18th.

Taylor will aim for a third-straight championship when it competes in the Battle at Stonehenge on September 29 and 30 in Winona Lake, Indiana.