PENFIELD, N.Y.  Day three of the NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship came with a twist. At the conclusion of the third round, teams began playing the final round that was originally slated to be played in full on Friday.
 
The decision to start the final round a day early was made due to imminent weather expected to move into the area on Friday afternoon. However, the final round was not completed on Thursday, so golfers will resume where they left off beginning at 7:45 a.m. on Friday.
 
The turn of events has greatly benefited the Monarchs, who shot +4 as a team in Round 3 but are currently putting together the best round of the tournament (by any team) with a –9 midway through Round 4. After starting the day in sixth place, Methodist moved up to third by the end of the third round. Now with less than nine holes left to go, the Monarchs have overtaken first place and hold a two–stroke lead over previous leader Illinois Wesleyan University.

JUST THE FACTS
Event: 2025 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship
Course: Midvale Golf Country Club (Par 72, 6,558 yds.); Cobblestone Creek Country Club (Par 72, 6,770 yds.)
Top teams: 1 – Methodist (303-298-292-186*–1079*; +20), 2 – Illinois Wesleyan University (290-305-290-152*–1037*; +22), 3 – Washington & Lee University (298-309-289-219*–1115*; +26)
Top individuals:  1 – Edward Coffren, Lynchburg (68-73-69-63*–273*; -7), T2 – Kevin Mu, Emory (69-73-69-55*–266*; -6), T2 – Will Karkoc, Bethel (68-70-75-38*–251*; -6)
*Round 4 tracker: Methodist is thru 11–13, Illinois Wesleyan is thru 8–10, Washington & Lee is thru 12–15, Edward Coffren is thru 16, Kevin Mu is thru 14, Will Karkoc is thru 10.

ROUND THREE

• Methodist was just the fifth–best team in the third round, led by Chase Walts and Beau Brewer at even par. Walts had an amazing start to the day, posting a clean 33 on his first nine holes. A birdie on Hole 10 put him a –4 for the round, but a double bogey on the next hole cut his hard work in half. After a trio of bogeys down the stretch, he ended the round on a high note with a birdie on 18.
• Brewer's round was much more consistent throughout as the made par on 14 holes. A pair of birdies balanced out his two bogeys for his best round of the tournament so far.
• Aiden Spampinato's day started shaky with an untimely double bogey on the first hole. However, he bounced back with a birdie on his next hole, which was one of four birdies he sank in round three. His four bogeys brought his score to +2 for the round.
• Haden Ruby also finished the round at +2, collecting four bogeys while carding two birdies. After starting the day off with a first–hole birdie, Caleb Ryan amassed four bogeys before a double bogey on 18 put him five strokes over par.

ROUND FOUR (SO FAR)

• Methodist's two Jack Nicklaus award finalists have caught fire in the final round. Ruby's hot start of three consecutive birdies has contributed to his score of –5 through 11 holes. Walts made even par through his first seven holes of the round before punching in birdies on holes 8, 9 and 10, putting him at –3 through 12. Ruby and Walts are blemish free in the final round thus far.
• Ryan posted a clean front nine with a pair of birdies, pausing the round with a –1 after a bogey on 13 (his final hole of the day). With a birdie and two bogeys, Spampinato dropped in another birdie on his final hole of the day (12) to put his round score at even par with six holes to go. Not currently scoring for Methodist in the final round is Brewer, who sits at three strokes over par.

UP NEXT
The final round is set to resume at 7:45 a.m. on Friday.