Pickering, Trojans Roll to Season-Opening Win

YOKRTOWN, Ind. – Propelled by a record-setting opening round, Taylor junior Drew Pickering rolled to a 9-shot victory to lead the No. 11 Taylor men's golf team in a romp at The Players Club Invitational on Saturday.

Pickering followed up his opening round 9-under par 63 with an impressive 1-under par 71 amid very windy conditions on the 6,934-yard, par-72 layout of The Players Club at Woodland Trails.

Pickering's 36-hole total of 10-under par is a Taylor record for the lowest 36-hole total in program history, besting the previous mark of -8 set by Alec Dutkowski at the Battle at Blackthorn in the Fall of 2017. The Westfield, Indiana native finished nine shots clear of second place for one of the largest margins of victory in program history.

Thanks to Pickering's superb play the Trojans rolled to a 22-shot victory over runner-up Indiana Wesleyan. Taylor tallied a final round score of 298, the lowest round of the day in challenging conditions, to finish with a 36-hole total of 578 (280-298).

Redshirt junior Javan Johnson earned a spot on the all-tournament team with a T-3 finish at even par 142, carding rounds of 69-75. Junior Noah Ross added rounds of 73-75 to finish in ninth place at 148 while sophomore Adam Kasitz posted a 153 total (76-77) to finish T-21. Junior Erik Fahlen added rounds of 75-81 to finish T-27.

The Taylor reserve squad also performed well with freshman Tommy McWatters tallied rounds of 75-75 to finish in 12th place. Sophomore Austin Davis finished T-21 with rounds of 74-79 while junior Payne Moses was also T-21 with rounds of 74-79 as well.

Sophomore Lance VanErmen and senior Jason Iler both finished T-40 at 161 with both posting rounds of 76-85. Senior Sam Yeager finished closely behind at 161 (80-83).

The Trojans return to action next weekend at the Yestingsmeier Invitational hosted by Ball State University at Delaware Country Club.