Consistency. Hard work. Grit.

These are just a few words that describe the season for the John Carroll University men’s golf team. Only one word, however, can describe the men’s performance at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships: champions.

The scores for the OAC Championship are combined through the fall and spring seasons. Entering this past weekend’s tournament, John Carroll held a three-stroke lead over Otterbein. The Blue Streaks hung onto their advantage throughout the single day of competition to win their first-ever OAC Championship at the Hudson Country Club in Hudson, Ohio.

The Blue and Gold held the winning score through the spring semester with a 309, besting the Otterbein Cardinals by one stroke at 310. The Heidelberg Student Princes followed with 312 and the Muskingum Fightin’ Muskies and Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets tied for fourth, shooting 315.  

The final score turned out to be JCU’s 612 compared to the Cardinals’ 616 (the lower of course claiming a win.)

Senior DJ Smith lead the way for the Blue Streaks individually. After holding the second best score for John Carroll at the Mount Union Fall Invitational, he totaled a 75. That was good for a share of the conference title.

Just one stroke behind Smith was freshman Michael Schnur, taking third place with a 76. The first-year Blue Streak, Schnur, averaged a 76.15 through his opening season for the Blue and Gold.  

In a 10-way tie for 14th, four-year leader senior Mike Furey and sophomore Sean O’Grady notched 79s into their scorecards. Junior Nolan Laughlin rounded out the scoring for John Carroll, taking home an 81 in a seven-way tie for 33rd.

Due to the close nature of the tournament, captain Mike Furey and the team “didn’t know [the end result] until everyone got off the course,” according to Furey. “It’s hard to put it into words,” Furey told The Carroll News when describing the emotion of the event. “We lost a couple of seniors who were really big last year, so no one really thought of us as a big contender coming into this year. It definitely helps with our confidence going into next week’s tournament.”  

Reflecting over the past four years of close finishes and memorable seasons, this one will hold a special place in all of the team’s hearts. For Furey, one momento sticks out above the rest.

“It will be nice to come into the gym after graduation and see the ‘19 on the banner forever. I’m excited for that.”

John Carroll will extend their season in the OAC NCAA Qualifying Tournament from May 3-5 at the River Greens Golf Club in West Lafayette, Ohio.

When asked his predictions for next week, Furey responded, “Streaks by a million.”