IDA, MI — The Clinton Redwolves Boys Golf team showed resilience in challenging weather conditions on Friday, securing an 8th-place team finish at the Larry Murdock Ida Invitational. Competing against a strong field of 18 teams, the Redwolves posted a team score of 106 in the Stableford-format tournament.

Junior Rob McDonald led the Redwolves with a solid performance, tallying 34 points (81), which placed him 16th individually out of 107 golfers. Freshman Vinny Skidmore followed closely behind with 32 points (81), earning a tie for 17th. Senior Chase Gillman added 21 points (88), finishing 48th. Brandon Ruhl (SO), Mason Diaz (JR), and Mattis Riddle (SR) each chipped in with 19 points, tying for 55th place overall.

“The team really battled hard considering how cold it was all day. I’m not sure how they were even able to hit the ball in the air at the start. There was ice forming on their golf balls while hitting putts in warmups,” Coach Ruhl said. “Birdies were clearly going to be hard to come by today, so pars became very important. Our seniors, along with Rob, came through in the clutch with a bunch of pars late in the day. Chase and Mattis parred 2 of their last 3 holes, and Rob, 5 of his last 6. It was great to see the whole team contribute and for the older guys to make the difference down the stretch.”

The Redwolves were the only team in the LCAA that had all 6 kids score in double figures on the day. They appear to have depth across their whole lineup.

Clinton edged out league rival Onsted (9th, 95 points) and Blissfield (10th, 93 points). Carlson claimed the team title with 158 points, followed by Tecumseh (151). Grant Simpson (Tecumseh) won the individual title with 52 points, just one point shy of the tournament record of 53 points.

The Redwolves will be back in action this week at the Madison Ryder Cup at Wolf Creek On Friday. 

Ann Arbor, MI — On a brisk 45-degree afternoon at Washtenaw Golf Club, home of the Ann Arbor Greenhills Invitational, the Clinton Redwolves golf team delivered a strong showing, finishing 5th overall with a team score of 360 in a deep and talented field. The team improved by 26 strokes from their team score of 386 in this same event last year. The course always plays tough, but this year the cold, wind, and mud made it a very difficult challenge. But the team responded by grinding out some solid scores during our five and a half hour round today.

The tournament, hosted by Ann Arbor Greenhills, featured multiple powerhouse programs from across Division 3 and beyond. Greenhills claimed the top spot with an impressive team total of 320, followed by Grosse Ile (338) and Ann Arbor Huron (342).

Leading the charge for the Redwolves was sophomore Brandon Ruhl, who posted a steady round of 85 to finish 13th individually. In just his first High School event, Freshman Vinny Skidmore impressed with an 86, placing 15th and showing promise for Clinton’s future. Junior Robert McDonald added a 91, while senior Chase Gillman carded a 98. Junior Mason Diaz rounded out the scoring with a 101. Ruhl, McDonald, and Diaz each carded their first birdies of the year.

Despite finishing just two strokes behind fourth-place Grosse Ile 2 (358), Clinton held their own against some of the top teams in the region, narrowly edging out Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard (361) and Plymouth Christian Academy (363).

The Redwolves, competing out of the LCAA, are showing signs of depth and talented youth across their lineup. With underclassmen making a big impact, Clinton’s outlook for the rest of the season, and beyond, is bright.