Shaan Desai
Shaan Desai

Desai leads Simpson to second at own Invitational

INDIANOLA, Iowa – Shaan Desai birdied three of the final four holes to tie for third and the Simpson men's golf team finished second at the 18-hole Simpson Fall Invitational on Tuesday.

Desai carded a 3-over 74 at the 6,369-yard Indianola Country Club in Simpson's final tournament of the fall season. He was 5-over after 14 holes, but scored birdies on the 15th, 17th and 18th to pull within three strokes of medalist Thailer Carlson (AIB). Carlson shot an even-par 71 to beat out teammate Lucas Boyd by a stroke in the individual race.

Simpson shot 308 as a team, 17 strokes behind tournament champion AIB (291) and six ahead of third place Des Moines Area CC.

Trent Lindenman and Jimmy Siebert each fired 5-over 76 to share a three-way tie for 10th. Lindenman shot even par on 13 holes while Siebert birdied the par-4 2nd on his way to a season-best round.

Nathan Molestead, Mike Rundle and Kainen Somers all tied for 14th with an 8-over 79, Conner Juilfs and Tanner Birchmier tied for 27th (82), Andy Hutchins tied for 37th (84) and Marshall Kray and Mitch Tomlonovic tied for 45th (87).

Notes: Two players scored a hole-in-one on the day: Zach Stafford (Coe) on the 200-yard, par 3 9th and Austin Miller (Loras) on the 120-yard, par 3 16th.