SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Minot State University senior Kowan O'Keefe finished with a two-round 145 Monday to win the Luxury Auto Mall Classic at Bakker Crossing Golf Course.
O'Keefe's scores didn't count for MSU, as he wasn't one of the five golfers chosen for varsity competition before the tournament.
O'Keefe followed Sunday's 1-under-par, 70-stroke round with a 75 Monday, finishing three strokes ahead of a trio of golfers who tied for second.
"His strength is he's a very good short putter," MSU coach Chipper Farrell said. "He had very good control of his irons. He's pretty much just solid. He doesn't hit it very far but he doesn't make many mental mistakes. He just manages the game better than anybody else."
The Beavers finished third as a team after leading the tournament by one stroke after day one. Host Augustana College (S.D.) shot a 291 Monday to finish with a two-day score of 594. Bemidji State University (Minn.) came in second at 602 strokes, two ahead of MSU.
"I guess we knew that after leading yesterday that there was five teams bunched up," Farrell said. "We knew that somebody would play real well, and two teams played real well."
The Beavers would've finished second had O'Keefe been slated for the starting lineup.
MSU senior Cody Duchscherer finished tied for fifth with a two-day total of 149. The Beavers begin the Bemidji State University Invite on Sunday, and Farrell said he plans to move O'Keefe to a varsity spot.
- Daily News Staff