HARRISONBURG, Va. -- Opening up the 2025-26 men's golf season with an outstanding overall team performance, the Christopher Newport Captains placed three individuals in the top ten while capturing a third place finish as a team at the Kinder-Williams Invitational. Sophomore J.P. Carr (-3) tied for second for a career-best individual effort and rookie Nathan Smith (-2) logged one of the finest debuts in program history. Rounding out the top ten finishers was senior Owen Taylor (E), tied for ninth, after leading the team with a three-under 69 on day two. 

As a team, the Captains carded a three-over 291 in Tuesday's second round at the Lakeview Golf Club in Harrisonburg, Va. Over two days, Christopher Newport finished five-over with a 581 (290-291) to capture third place behind host and team champion Bridgewater (-4) and second place Southern Virginia (+1). 

It marks the best finish at the Kinder-Williams Invitational for the Captains since winning the event in 2010 with a 10-over 586 (296-290). This week, CNU submitted a new entry to the record books with a five-over 581, ranking as the sixth best 36-hole tournament in program history in relation to par and the 8th finest score overall by strokes. 

On Tuesday, the Captains fired four rounds at 75 or better to finish the day at five-over while the drop score, carded by Stephen Patterson, was a 77. Patterson's five-over finish would have scored for all but three teams in the 16-team tournament. He dropped in two birdies and finished the event with a 153 (76-77) to tie for 46th on the individual leaderboard. 

Leading the scoring for CNU in the second round was veteran Nick Alexander with a two-under 70 to wrap up his two day total with a 149 (79-70). Alexander shaved nine strokes off his first round score and climbed all the way to 26th on the leaderboard thanks to an impressive overall round. He dropped in three birdies and sank an Eagle three on the 480-yard par five 14th hole that played as the tenth most difficult hole in the event. Alexander added 11 pars to go with the four holes under par and finished with the seventh best round of the day overall. 

After an opening round 70, rookie Nathan Smith fired another round at par or better with an Even par 72 on day two of the tournament. He finished fourth overall with a 142 (70-72) to notch his first career top-five effort in his collegiate debut. Smith had 13 pars and three birdies while carding just two bogeys in the round. He was one-under on the back nine with eight pars and a birdie four on the aforementioned par five, the 14th. 

Fellow freshman Fischer Leggitt had an outstanding run on day two with 14 straight holes at par or better. He also birdied 14 while adding a birdie three on the 413-yard par four 5th hole. His level performance saw him finish at two-over in the round and conclude the event tied for 19th with a 147 (73-74). Rounding out the team scoring for CNU was Jacob Foti, who notched a three-over 75 in the second round with a pair of birdies and 12 pars. After 36 holes, Foti finished at twoover with a 146 (71-75). 

In addition to the five Captanis playing as a unit, Christopher Newport also entered five players into the tournament as individuals. Among them was veteran lefty Owen Taylor who signed for the best round of the day by a CNU played with a three-under 69. He notched a team-high five birdies and added 11 pars to finish with a career low. He bested his previous record by six strokes with his first career round under par. Taylor wrapped up the two-day event with a 144 (75-69) to tie for ninth and log his first career top-ten finish. 

Also playing as an individual was J.P. Carr (-3), who tied for second overall to post the highest standing on the leaderboard by a CNU player. After a four-under 68 in the first round, Carr stayed hot with a one-over 73 to finish out a 141 (68-73) through two rounds. He shattered his personal best for a 36-hole tournament by 13 strokes and also logged his first career top-five effort. Carr birdied three in a four-hole stretch and finished with four birdies and ten pars in the second round. 

Rookie Patrick O'Rourke joined Taylor and Alexander with a round under par after finishing the second round with a one-under 71. O'Rourke dropped in four birdies and added 12 pars in the round to conclude his first collegiate appearance tied for 15th with a 146 (75-71). Connor Wood was five-over on day two with a 77 and registered birdies on the 561-yard par five 3rd hole as well as the 503-yard par five 11th.  Wood (+10) wrapped up the tournament tied for 50th with a 154 (77-77). 

Rounding out the CNU men's golf appearance was Paxton Ihm (+26), who tied for 81st with a 170 (86-84). On day two, Ihm had nine pars including three straight on holes 15-17. 

The talented roster will return to action in the second tournament of the year on October 14-15 as they travel to the Alvernia Fall Invitational.