Photo by Jake McNeill: Marshall’s Deacon Wing chips a shot toward the green on the eighth hole at Marshall Golf Club on Friday. Wing was the top individual on the day as Marshall picked up a dual win over Big South Conference foe Worthington.

MARSHALL — Deacon Wing posted the low round for the Marshall boys golf team on Friday afternoon as the Tigers defeated Worthington 148-177 in a nine-hole Big South Conference dual.

Wing birdied three of his first four holes, and added another on hole 7, to finish with a score of 1-under 35 to lead the field of 34 golfers. He was two strokes shy of setting a personal best for the Marshall Golf Club’s front 9.

“I just got bumped down to third seed, and I just felt pretty good today,” Wing said of his round. “My wedges worked really well today, I hit a lot of greens to put them close… but I think more putting is definitely something I need to do. But yeah, I putted pretty okay today.”

Marshall head coach Kari Ehlers added that she was impressed by Wing’s ability to keep his composure amidst his early success with birdies.

Senior Luke Ehlers and Ethan Wendorff tied for second place at 1-over 37, giving the Tigers a sweep of the dual’s top 3 spots. Wendorff had a notably steady round, recording a par on every hole except the eighth, which he shot 1-over on. Ehlers finished with a birdie and six pars.

“Ethan has just come to golf in the last two years and he’s a real natural athlete,” coach Ehlers said, noting the remarkable consistency of Wendorff’s round. “He’s such a long, lanky swinger, and his putting has come far in the last week, so he’s done a lot of work on the putting green and it’s really remarkable how much he’s gotten so passionate about the game in so little time.”

Eighth grader Eli Winn rounded out Marshall’s scorers with a 3-over 39, tying Worthington’s Spenser Nickel for fourth place after carding a first-hole birdie and five pars.

Marshall also swept spots 5 through 16, led by Jaylen Koster and Jacob Allen tying for sixth place with 40 strokes each.

The dual victory was a return to form for Marshall after the Tigers finished second in their first Big South Conference meet of the season at Shoreland Country Club on Monday, with their 158 edging out New Ulm by one stroke to finish as the runner-up to the hosting St. Peter Saints’ 147.

“We didn’t shoot as badly as it felt, I think just because St. Peter played so well on their home course,” coach Ehlers said. “[Today was] just a good opportunity to play well at our home course… When you get off your home course, you see really how much work you’ve done on the range and how much thought you’re putting into each shot and how intentional you’re being.

“If you’re not a golfer, it sounds really easy to [trust your range finder and your club yardages], but sometimes your mental game takes over a little and you start doubting it.”

Marshall will return to action on Monday with its second Big South East meet, playing a nine-hole competition at Great Life Golf & Fitness in Worthington. Coach Ehlers said she feels that the course plays closer to Marshall Golf Club than Shoreland Country Club did last week, noting the more “Old, traditional country club” feel of Great Life Golf & Fitness with its abundance of trees.

“I think after playing last Monday and our guys kind of seeing what the competition was in the Big South Conference, I think they’re ready to go after it,” coach Ehlers said. “I’m hoping that we’ll see some competitive juices flowing and see some low scores out there.”