BATAVIA, Ohio – In the final tournament of the regular season, the Oakland University men's golf team closed with a victory, claiming the team title at the NKU Jewell Invitational.

It is the Golden Grizzlies' first win of the year after coming close in October with a runner-up finish at the Tom Tontimonia Invitational and a third-place showing at the Purdue Fall Invitational. Their last regular-season team victory was at last year's Tom Tontimonia, where they posted a 36-hole total of 553 (-7).

On the par-71, 6,845-yard Elks Run Golf Course in Batavia, the Golden Grizzlies carded a 54-hole team total of 867 (+15). Oakland led the field in birdies (42) and tied with runner-up Detroit Mercy for the best par-four scoring average (4.12). The team also tied for third in par-three average (3.32) and eagles (1), ranked fifth in par-five average (4.96), and finished sixth in total pars (156).

Just two weeks earlier, the Oakland women's golf team captured the NKU Julie Invitational, the women's equivalent, on the same course, giving Oakland a sweep of the events hosted by Northern Kentucky.

For the second straight event, freshman Rakshit Dahiya paced Oakland, earning his best finish of the season with a tie for fourth at 215 (+2). Dahiya tied for second overall in par-four scoring at an even 4.00, recorded the seventh-most birdies (10) over three rounds, and made Oakland's lone eagle of the tournament on the par-four sixth hole in the second round.

Redshirt junior Jack Zubkus and junior Robert Burns each shot 219 (+6) to tie for 12th. Zubkus led the field in par-three scoring at 2.92, ranked second in birdies with 12, and tied for third in average par-five strokes with 4.56. Burns also finished near the top in multiple categories, tying for second in total pars made (37) and tying for seventh in par-four average (4.06).

Senior Ellis Kinnaird finished one stroke behind Zubkus and Burns, tying for 14th at 220 (+7). He joined Dahiya in a tie for second in par-four scoring and ranked just behind Burns in total pars made with 36, tying for fifth overall.

Senior Luke Kelly competed as an individual for the second consecutive invitational, while sophomore Brennan Sullivan rounded out Oakland's lineup. Kelly tied for 37th, and Sullivan tied for 53rd in the 88-player field.

With Wright State being the only Horizon League program not in attendance, the NKU Jewell Invitational served as an early preview of this year's conference championship. Detroit Mercy finished second behind Oakland at 871, followed by IU Indy (878), Robert Morris (881), and Cleveland State (887) in fifth through seventh, respectively. Northern Kentucky tied for eighth at 890, and Purdue Fort Wayne (902), Green Bay (903), and Youngstown State (905) finished in a tight group for 10th through 12th.

OU RESULTS
Team: 287 | 291 | 289 = 867 (+15)
T4. Rakshit Dahiya: 71 | 71 | 73 = 215 (+2)
T12. Jack Zubkus: 77 | 71 | 71 = 219 (+6)
T12. Robert Burns: 71 | 74 | 74 = 219 (+6)
T14. Ellis Kinnaird: 74 | 75 | 71 = 220 (+7)
T37. Luke Kelly (IND): 70 | 81 | 74 = 225 (+12)
T53. Brennan Sullivan: 71 | 77 | 80 = 228 (+15)

Complete results of the invitational can be found on Clippd.

UP NEXT: The Golden Grizzlies will compete for a conference title at the Horizon League Championships in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida, from April 25-27.

How to Follow Oakland Men's Golf: For complete information on Oakland Men's Golf, follow the team on Instagram and X at @OaklandMGolf.