Saint Lucian golf star Yadhu Urs is celebrating both a personal honour and a major team achievement this week. On Monday, he was named Conference Athlete of the Week, and on Wednesday, he led his team to victory at the Great Midwest Men’s Golf Championship.
The Ohio Dominican University Panthers secured their first-ever conference title, defeating the #36-ranked Findlay Oilers 5-0 in match play at Indiana’s Belterra Golf Club. Urs was one of four Panthers players to win by four strokes. With three under-par rounds in the final match, ODU clinched an automatic bid to the NCAA Midwest/Central Super Regional in St Joseph, Missouri (May 8-10), marking their second team appearance at the regional.
After teammates Tyler Andersen, Jeremiah Bane and Jackson Parnell secured wins, Urs faced Findlay’s medallist, Colin Schadek. Schadek took an early lead with a birdie on the fourth hole, but Urs surged ahead with a birdie on the seventh as Schadek bogeyed. Another Schadek bogey on the eighth and a birdie from Urs on the ninth gave Urs a three-stroke lead at the turn. Though Schadek fought back, Urs sealed the win with a par on the par-5 18th, while Schadek double-bogeyed. Urs finished 1-under (70) to Schadek’s 3-over (74).
Urs led the Panthers and earned All-Conference honours with a fourth-place finish in stroke play, his third consecutive selection. He was ODU’s top finisher at 6-over 219 (75-74-70), leading the team with nine birdies (tied for third overall) and 31 pars (tied for eighth).
Earlier in the week, the ODU senior was named G-MAC Golf Athlete of the Week following his performance at the Wright State Invitational, where he tied for seventh with a career-best 4-under 209. His rounds included a 3-under 68 (matching his career low), a 1-over 72, and a 2-under 69.
