DETROIT LAKES, Minn. - Bemidji State’s men’s golf team finished in third place at the two-round Central Region Fall Invitational, which wrapped up Tuesday at the Wildflower Golf Club. The Beavers’ total of 617 strokes was bested only by Missouri Western State and Central Missouri State, who finished last season ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the Central Region polls.

With the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championship just over two weeks away, BSU placed first out of the five NSIC schools participating in the event. The Beavers narrowly shaved Winona State’s squad, which finished in fourth place, just one stroke behind.

Senior Toby Palmiscno (Grand Forks, N.D.) followed up a first-round 76 by firing a one-over-par 73 on Tuesday. His two-round total of 149 tied him with Central Missouri’s Eric Poppitz for second individually. Brice Garnett, competing for Missouri Western, ran away with first place in the event, finishing with a four-under 144.

On the strength of a 73 shot on Tuesday, sophomore Hiraku Aoki (Akita, Japan) equalled his career-best two-round total, carding a 154 for the event. He was closely followed by junior Al Zutz (Thief River Falls, Minn.), who led the event outright after a first-round 74 and ended up with a total of 155.

The three-round Twin Cities Classic is next on the schedule for the squad. The event, which begins on Saturday, will be held at the Elk River Country Club, the Links at North Fork, and the Stillwater Country Club. The fall season will end with the conference championship, which will be held at the Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker, Minn. on October 8 and 9.

TEAM STANDINGS
• Missouri Western State 311-293=604
• Central Missouri State 315-294=609
• Bemidji State 313-304=617
• Winona State 318-300=618
• Washburn 325-294=619
• Truman State 324-313=637
• Minnesota-Crookston 333-311=644
• Southwest Baptist 331-320=651
• Wayne State 328-334=662
• Northern State 350-321=671
• Upper Iowa 353-334=687

3rd place - Bemidji State (313-304=617)
• T-2 Toby Palmiscno 76-73=149
• Hiraku Aoki 81-73=154
• Al Zutz 74-81=155
• Matt Gorden 84-77=161
• Neil Rude 82-81=163

Bemidji State ‘B’ (354-344=688)
• Ben Stecher 84-74=158
• Tyler Hirth 89-83=172
• Eric Aune 89-86=175
• Dan Viola 92-91=183