Aurora, Ill. -- The Wheaton men's golf team opened their fall season in solid fashion on Tuesday despite inclement weather bringing their first competition of the year to a premature halt. The squad traveled to Aurora University to compete in the 16-team "Spartan Double Gun" event, and the Thunder ended up placing third overall after rainy conditions forced the competition to be shortened to a single round instead of two.

The hosting Spartans finished in first place with a team score of 292, the only squad to shoot under 300 on the day. In second place, Illinois Valley finished their single round with a score of 303. Wheaton came in third with an overall score of 306, just two strokes ahead of fourth-placed Millikin. Rounding out the top five was the Aurora B team, finishing with a score of 315.

David Morton had the best individual round on the day for the Thunder, shooting a one-over 73 from the course. Morton placed fourth in the list of individual competitors. Will Bennink and Jonah Swartz were the other two top-twenty finishers on the day for Wheaton, both hitting a 77 from the field and finishing in a six-way tie for twelfth place.

Next up for the men's golf team is a trip to West Dundee, Illinois to compete in the Carthage Fall Classic this coming weekend, and the Thunder will be hoping that the weather does not take after their name this time around.