Willy Wetland-

The Gustavus Men’s Golf team packed their bags and headed south this past weekend, squaring off against some of the nation’s elite in the Rhodes College Cochran Collegiate at Colonial Country Club. In a loaded field featuring eight of the Top-25 nationally ranked teams, the Gusties battled wind, stacked leaderboards, and a tricky course to come away with a hard-fought seventh-place finish out of 18 teams.

If you looked at the lineup, you might have thought the PGA tour was making a stop in Tennessee. Heavy-hitters like No. 4 Illinois Wesleyan, No. 7 LeTourneau, and No. 9 Oglethorpe headlined the field, alongside a cast of other ranked squads eager to prove their worth. Gustavus, ranked No. 38 nationally, was right in the thick of it, and they weren’t about to back down.

Leading the charge for the Gusties was Pelayo Perez Crespo, the Junior from Sotogrande, Spain, who once again showed his mucho gusto and his pelotas (I’m a Spanish minor). Perez Crespo grinded out a four-over 76 in the final round, stringing together two birdies and eleven pars on a day when the wind was extremely gusty–that didn’t seem to be an issue for this Gustie. That unpredictability turned club selection into a chess match and course management into a mental gauntlet. When the final putt dropped, Perez Crespo had locked down 13th place out of 90 golfers — an impressive showing in such a deep, talented field.

Not to be outdone, Senior Teddy Kaste showed up with his best stuff when it mattered most, delivering a clutch 76 of his own on day three. Kaste’s steady round, which included a birdie and thirteen pars, rocketed him 12 spots up the leaderboard, a gutsy performance that spoke volumes about his resilience and calm under fire–not to mention he’s also clearly the best-looking golfer on the team. When asked about how he was able to persevere, Kaste said, “Honestly, I wasn’t in a good spot mentally, just obviously with the death of Queen Elizabeth last year, it’s been a long grieving process. I’m still not back to a place where I can focus fully on golf, but in the last round I dug deep for her.”

Junior Chris Gutuza, the pride of Johannesburg, South Africa, turned in a 77 in all 3 rounds, which was good for 23rd overall. Gutuza’s round featured three birdies as he fought to keep the Gusties within striking distance of the top five. Gutuza, also a Student senator, works hard both on and off the course.

Wyatt Carlson, a Junior from Wayzata, Minnesota, quietly put together a solid round of 79, moving up a couple of spots and adding another birdie to the Gusties’ tally. Jimmy Abdo, a First-year student from Edina, Minnesota, carded a 73 in the first round–which was one of the best rounds of the tournament–but sadly struggled in rounds 2 and 3.

At the top of the team leaderboard, Oglethorpe flexed their muscles, claiming victory with rounds of 303-300-296 for an 899 total. Lynchburg snagged second at 904, while the host, Rhodes, settled for 12th. The Gusties strung together rounds of 305-313-308 for a 926 total, finishing just two shots behind an all-boys school, Hampden-Sydney, in sixth place and four away from the top five. Safe to say the Gustavus Women’s golf team will not be losing to Hampden-Sydney anytime soon.

Assistant Coach Randall Stuckey ’83 praised his team’s grit after the final round.
“Another windy, difficult day,” Stuckey said. “But a completely different wind than yesterday, which made every hole feel brand new. Club selection, strategy, and patience were everything out there. This was a real test of golf on a fantastic course, and our guys fought hard. Proud of their effort and especially proud of Pelayo for cracking the top 15 in a field like this.”

This performance was more than just a solid showing — it was a statement. Coming off a tough spring schedule and jumping straight into a gauntlet like this, Gustavus proved they belong in conversations with the country’s best. The difference between sixth and fourth was razor-thin, a sign of how competitive and closely matched these programs are.

Now, the Gusties turn their attention back home as they get set to host the annual Bobby Krig Invitational this weekend. It’s a quick turnaround, with two rounds scheduled Friday at Le Sueur Country Club and the final round Saturday morning at New Prague Golf Club. With the team finding its stride and players heating up at just the right time, there’s real optimism that this group is just getting started, although there are only 2 tournaments left… so maybe they’re just getting finished.