A pair of top-10 finishers in a competitive, 95-player field led the way for the Valparaiso University men’s golf team at this week’s Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate, which was hosted by Arkansas State at the par-72, 6565-yard RidgePointe Country Club in Jonesboro, Ark. Senior Garrett Willis (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Homestead) recorded the team’s best Round-3 showing to join junior Caleb VanArragon (Blaine, Minn. / Blaine) in the top 10.

How It Happened

• Willis was the lone Beacon to go under par in Tuesday’s final round, shooting a 71 for his best 18-hole score of the tournament. He finished the event at 218 (+2), tied for eighth on the individual leaderboard.
• VanArragon solidified another top-5 finish with an even par round of 72 on Tuesday. He was one of three individuals to tie for fourth with a 54-hole score of 215 (-1).
• Senior Yianni Kostouros (Crown Point, Ind. / Crown Point [Ball State]) also turned in his best round of the event on Tuesday with a 74 (+2). He finished the two days in Jonesboro with a total score of 226 (+10), tied for 38^th.
• Freshman Anthony Delisanti (Sanborn, N.Y. / Niagara Wheatfield) posted a 75 in Round 3 to finish the event at 227 (+11), tied for 44^th.
• The Beacons carded a 292 (+4) in the third and final round to close the week at 886 (+22), placing fifth in a 17-team tournament. Only seven strokes separated second from fifth on the team leaderboard. Host Arkansas State pulled away for the team title at 858 (-6), led by individual medalist Jack Madden (211, -5).

Inside the Round

• VanArragon secured his fourth top-5 finish this season and the 11^th such finish of his collegiate career. He has finished under par in three of his four tournaments this season, and Tuesday represented the eighth time in 13 rounds that he’s gone par or better this fall.
• The 71 for Willis represented his third round of par or better this season. His tournament score of 218 was his best this autumn. The top-10 finish was his second of the season and the ninth of his collegiate tenure.
• Willis and VanArragon tied for the best par-4 performances in the tournament, averaging 4.03 on those holes.
• The Beacons drained 38 birdies, led by Willis with a dozen.

Up Next

Valpo will compete in its final tournament of the fall slate beginning on Monday, Oct. 18 at the TVA Credit Union Invitational. The event will take place at Turtle Point Golf & Yacht Club in Killen, Ala.