East Michigan News

The Eastern Michigan University men's golf team will participate in the 2025 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championships at Pinnacle Golf Club in Grove City, Ohio, from April 27 to 29. The event provides an opportunity for the Eagles to secure an automatic berth into the NCAA Regionals if they win the team title.

"This week's lineup" will include Rory McDonald-O'Brien, Daniel Robles Delval, Tim Chan, Bavake Sihota, and James Baxter. The team has a notable history in the MAC Championships, having claimed three titles in 2007, 2008, and 2019, and finishing as runners-up six times. All five players in the current lineup have achieved at least one top-20 finish this season.

Bavake Sihota was recently named the MAC Co-Golfer of the Week after tying for fifth place at the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate. He shared the award with Jordan Gilkison of Kent State, marking Sihota's first career accolade and the third for Eastern players this season.

The Pinnacle Golf Club, the tournament venue, is a par-72 course measuring 7,462 yards. Nine teams, including Ball State, Bowling Green, and the defending champion Kent State, will compete in the 54-hole event. Eastern Michigan aims to improve on its sixth-place finish from the previous year's MAC Championships.

"The stakes" are high for the Eagles, as a victory would mark their fourth NCAA Regionals appearance and first since 2010. History has seen Eastern Michigan achieve automatic berths twice as MAC champions and secure an at-large invitation once.

The Eagles' current season boasts a 292.4 team average, ranking as the fifth-best in program history. Tim Chan notably set a program-record with a score of 63 during the White Sands event, while finishing with a 14-under 202. The team hopes to continue this form into the MAC Championships.

In terms of "tournament history," the MAC Championships date back to 1947, with Kent State holding a record 25 titles since Eastern Michigan first participated in 1973. The Eagles will aim for a strong finish to gain a spot in the upcoming NCAA Regionals.

Eastern Michigan's performance at the 2025 MAC Championships will dictate their postseason future, with regional selections announced on April 30 through Golf Channel and NCAA.com. The team and its coaches bring championship experience, with past successes aiding their preparation for this critical event.