SILVIS, IL – It was not the finish that the No.10-ranked UBC Thunderbirds (+36) were looking for in the final round of the NAIA Championship, as a well-timed substitution was negated by a case of food poisoning that all but certainly cost the 'Birds several spots in the championship, leaving them in 12
th place at the end of the event.
The 2023 NAIA Champions enjoyed a strong start to their third and final round at TPC Deere Run on Friday, gradually climbing up the standings from ninth to sixth place. Leading the way for UBC was Hudson LaFayette, a graduating senior who was substituted in to the lineup for the final round and immediately shone. LaFayette carded a 70 (-1) to the lead the team and post only the second round below par for any T-Bird at the tournament.
Right behind him was Dylan MacDonald, who had been the best of the 'Birds on Thursday with a round of 71 (E). He was on track to do the same on Friday, sitting at even par once again through 12 holes, when disaster struck. MacDonald, who had been managing discomfort since breakfast that morning, passed out while playing a long par five and soon after couldn't even keep water in his system, forcing a trip to the hospital where he is in stable condition and receiving fluids through an IV.
Not only was this a huge blow to the morale of the T-Birds concerned about their teammate, but because he could not finish the round MacDonald's strong score was wiped off of the team total and the highest score on the team now had to count for the five-drop-four format.
In the end, Aidan Schumer's solid 74 (+3) was second behind LaFayette, with both Mackenzie Bickell and John Paul Kahlert's matching 80s (+9) included in the T-Birds' total as well. That meant that UBC shot +20 on Friday, far higher than their scores of +7 and +9 in the first two rounds.
On the individual leaderboard, Schumer (+3) snagged 15
th place, earning a spot on the all-tournament team in the process. Kahlert (+13) was 57
th while Bickell (+17) took 65
th, they were the only two other T-Birds to complete all three rounds.
While 12
th place was disappointing for the reigning Cascade Collegiate Conference Champions, the final round was a special send-off for the team's five graduating seniors, who all drew into the lineup together for the last 18 and had the chance to compete on a PGA Tour course in TPC Deere Run to mark the end of an era for UBC Golf in the NAIA. All five players were part of the second NAIA Championship in program history in 2023 and also represent the last remaining players from that celebrated team.
The boys aren't splitting up just yet however, as they have one major event left in their season. The T-Birds are looking to defend their title at the Golf Canada Canadian University/College Championship in less than two weeks. This year's tournament is being held at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C. from June 3-6.