• ophomore Caleb Ham leads DMACC with a tie for 10^th place
• Sophomore Lari Hakanen and freshman Luke Linde tie for 20^th place
• Freshmen Ryan Schmierer and Ethan Nace are 49^th and 50^th respectively

The DMACC men's golf team finished in sixth place in the Baker Invitational, March 10 and 11 at Great Bend Golf Course in Lawrence, Kan., the team's season opener for the 2024-25 spring season.

The Bears, who were in third place after opening the tournament with an 18-over-par 306 on March 10, posted a 307 on the second day, giving them a 36-hole score of 613, and finishing four strokes behind MidAmerica Nazarene University (MANU). Park College (PC) took the team championship with a two-day total of 571 after shooting a 280 in the second round.

PC's Santiago Valdes won medalist honors with a 7-under-par 137. Valdes shot an even par 72 on the first day and turned in a 7-under-par 65 on the second day.

DMACC was led by sophomore Caleb Ham of Hudson. Ham shot a 2-under-par 70 in the first round but skied to a 77 in the second round for a 36-hole score of 149 and tied for 10^th place.

Sophomore Lari Hakanen of Kerava, Finland, and freshman Luke Linde of Winterset tied for 20^th place with two-day totals of 152. Hakanen shot a 75 on the second day to go with a 77 on the opening day and Linde also shot 75 on the second day and had a 77 on opening day.

Freshman Ryan Schmierer of North Liberty and Ethan Nace of Iowa City rounded out DMACC's performance with Schmierer placing 49^th and Nace tying for 50^th. Schmierer turned in a 79 on the second day for a 36-hole score of 161 and Nace shot a 78 on the second day for a two-day total of 162.

DMACC freshmen Joe Currans of Ames, Zach Wilson of Ames and Faree Alexander of Kimberly Western Cape, South Africa, played in the tournament as individuals. Currans shot an even-par 72 on the second day, giving him a 36-hole score of 154 and tied for 29^th place. Wilson tied for 50^th at 162 after an 82 on the second day and Alexander finished in 54^th place at 165 after an 80 in his second round.

The DMACC men's golf team will play in the Blackhawk Spring Invitational April 3 and 4 at Pinnacle Country Club in Milan, Ill.