Benge, Cunningham Earn Top-15 Finishes in Minnesota

Sophomores Jackson Benge and Brodie Cunningham tied for 12th individually with one-over-par totals of 214 to lead the Nebraska men's golf team to a 10th-place team finish at the 2nd Swing Gopher Invitational in Independence, Minn., Tuesday.

Benge, a second-year Husker out of Omaha Westside High School, earned his second straight top-25 finish to open the fall season by closing the tournament with an even-par 71 on the 7,464-yard layout at the Windsong Farm Golf Club. Benge, who started the tournament with a 71 before adding a second-round 72 on Sunday, was one of Nebraska's top two finishers for the second consecutive tournament after tying for 23rd at the season-opening Island Resort Invitational (Aug. 31-Sept. 1). Benge's first-round total included NU's second eagle of the season, which came on the par-5, 602-yard ninth hole.

Cunningham, a sophomore from Glasgow, Scotland, matched Benge with a 214, including an opening-round 70 (-1) and back-to-back rounds of 72 (+1) to conclude the tournament.

Rudy Sautron, the defending champion at the event, tied for 56th at 224 (+11). The junior from Reunion Island, France, battled his way to a final-round 72 by catching fire with a 33 (-2) over his final nine holes.

Redshirt junior Evan McDermott also fought his way to a 75 (+4) in the final round to finish 76th at 231 (+18). He opened with a 76 in the first before completing Sunday's 36 holes with a second-round 80.

Freshman Caden Mickelson, who was Nebraska's top finisher at the Island Resort Invitational with a school freshman-record 207 (-9) over 54 holes, opened with an even-par 71 Sunday, before contributing a 74 (+3) in the second round. Mickelson did not count his final round.

Texas A&M won the team title with an even-par 852, outlasting SEC counterpart South Carolina's 859 (+7). West Virginia took third at 860 (+8), while Louisville and Iowa State rounded out the top five in a tie for fourth at 863 (+11). Nebraska closed the tournament in 10th at 870 (+18), ahead of Big Ten brethren Wisconsin (871) and Rutgers (872).

Frankie Harris (South Carolina), Aaron Pounds (Texas A&M) and Paul Beauvy (Iowa State) shared the individual title with three-round totals of 205 (-8).

The Huskers will be back in action next week at the Bearcat Invitational at the Coldstream Country Club in Cincinnati (Sept. 15-16).

Gopher Invitational
Sept. 7-8, 2025
Independence, Minn.
Windsong Farm GC (Par 71, 7,464 Yards)

Final Team Results
1. Texas A&M - 291-276-285=852 (E)
2. South Carolina - 292-278-289=859 (+7)
3. West Virginia - 285-278-298=861 (+9)
T4. Louisville - 290-281-292=863 (+11)
T4. Iowa State - 293-284-286=863 (+11)
6. Miami (Ohio) - 287-285-293=865 (+13)
7. Minnesota - 288-292-288=868 (+16)
T8. Furman - 295-290-284=869 (+17)
T8. Little Rock - 290-293-286=869 (+17)
10. Nebraska - 288-292-290=870 (+18)
T11. Wisconsin - 288-291-292=871 (+19)
T11. Marquette - 285-288-298=871 (+19)
13. Rutgers - 294-285-293=872 (+20)
14. St. Thomas (Minn.) - 285-299-300=884 (+32)
15. Northern Illinois - 300-294-302=896 (+44)

Final Individual Results
T1. Frankie Harris, South Carolina - 69-67-69=205 (-8)
T1. Aaron Pounds, Texas A&M - 69-67-69=205 (-8)
T1. Paul Beauvy, Iowa State - 69-69-67=205 (-8)
4. Kayun Mudadana, Golf Australia - 70-69-70=209 (-4)
T5. Brett Podobinski, Miami (Ohio) - 73-67-70=210 (-3)
T5. Cormac Sharpe, Minnesota - 70-70-70=210 (-3)
T5. Nicholas Tuowski, West Virginia - 74-66-70=210 (-3)
8. Tyler Anderson, Miami (Ohio) - 68-70-73=211 (-2)
T9. Shiv Parmar, Texas A&M - 73-70-69=212 (-1)
T9. James Boustead, Wisconsin - 70-68-74=212 (-1)
T9. Warren Thomis, Louisville - 73-68-71=212 (-1)

Nebraska Individuals
T12. Jackson Benge - 71-72-71=214 (+1)
T12. Brodie Cunningham - 70-72-72=214 (+1)
T56. Rudy Sautron - 78-74-72=224 (+11)
76. Evan McDermott - 76-80-75=231 (+18)
83. Caden Mickelson - 71-74-N/A=145 (+3)