PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (EMUEagles.com) — The final event of the 2024 fall slate awaits the Eastern Michigan University men’s golf team this weekend as the Eagles will compete in the White Sands Bahamas Men’s NCAA Golf Invitational, Friday-Sunday, Oct. 25-27. The three-day tournament will feature 54 holes of action on the par-72, 7,159-yards Ocean Club Golf Course with 12 teams set to compete, including three fellow members of the Mid-American Conference in Ball State University, Northern Illinois University, and Ohio University.
 
THIS WEEK’S LINE UP • WHITE SANDS
Here are the Eagles that will compete at the White Sands Bahamas Men’s NCAA Golf Invitational:
James Baxter (Fr.) • 74.0 avg. | Fired a team-best 68 (-4) in the second round at Southern Dunes
Tim Chan (Sr.) • 73.5 avg. | Leads the team with 28 birdies through eight rounds played (3.50/round)
Rory McDonald-O’Brien (Jr.) • 77.2 avg. | Placed a season-best 51st at the Virtues Intercollegiate
Daniel Robles Delval (Jr.) • 72.4 avg. | Led the team at the Virtues Intercollegiate at 2-under (t7th)
Bavake Sihota (Sr.) • 73.9 avg. | Top finisher for the team at the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate
* Lucas Hughes (Jr.) • 74.0 avg. | T-9th at The Indy at Forest Hills; playing as an individual at White Sands Invite
* competing as an individual
 
TOURNAMENT INFO: WHITE SANDS
The White Sands Bahamas Men’s NCAA Golf Invitational will be played on the par-72, 7,159-yard Ocean Club Golf Course in Paradise Island, Bahamas, with 12 teams, including four from the Mid-American Conference, set to compete over three days. The event, hosted by West Virginia, will feature MAC institutions EMU, Ball State, Northern Illinois, and Ohio, with two teams in the national top 50 also joining the event in No. 40 College of Charleston and No. 49 Houston. The field is rounded out by George Mason, Maryland, Rutgers, UC San Diego, and Emory, the fourth-ranked team in NCAA Division III.
 
PASSPORTS IN HAND
The White Sands event will mark the first time Eastern Michigan has played in a tournament outside the United States since the 2003-24 season. That year, the Eagles traveled to Carambolo, St. Croix for the St. Croix Intercollegiate where the team finished 12th overall (925).
 
CHIP INS
»             It will have been three weeks since a member of the team competed in an event as four individuals played at The Indy at Forest Hills, Oct. 4, before the The Island at West Bay Collegiate Invitational in Florida, Oct. 6-7, was washed out by rain.
»             At the Indy, Lucas Hughes was the top finisher for the Eagles as he carded a 2-over 142 (72-70) to finish in a tie for ninth. Guillaume Paquette made his collegiate debut in the tournament as well.
»             Andy Walker was named the 2023-24 Black College Golf Coaches Association Coach of the Year for the second time in his career after guiding his former school, VCU, to another stellar season.
»             The Eagles’ roster features nine athletes, all of whom are new to the program. Included on the list are three seniors, two juniors, one sophomore, and three freshmen.
 
RECAP: THE INDY
Four individuals competed at The Indy at Forest Hill, Oct. 4, with Lucas Hughes leading the way by finishing tied for ninth in the non-team scored event at Forest Hills Country Club in Richmond, Ind. Also in the field for the Eagles were Pietro Fenoglio (tied for 12th), Matthew Rastogi (tied for 34th), and Guillaume Paquette (tied for 42nd), who made his collegiate debut.
 
RECAP: WEST BAY
Eastern Michigan sent a team to compete at The Island at West Bay Collegiate Invitational at the West Bay Golf Club in Estero, Fla., Oct. 6-7, but were unable to because the tournament was canceled because of unplayable conditions in the area. One of 14 teams on the course when steady rain moved into the area, the tournament tried to use a short rain delay in hopes of returning to play but the saturated grounds along with the threat of Hurricane Milton making its way toward Florida brought an early end to the event.
 
ON THE HORIZON
The Eagles do not return to competition until they open their spring slate at the Gator Invitational, Feb. 15-16, in Gainesville, Fla.