Sheboygan’s Schmidtke Leads BIG EAST Championship Through 18 Holes

OKATIE, South Carolina – Sophomore Mason Schmidtke fired an opening round 5-under 67 on Saturday for the individual lead following first round play at the 2025 BIG EAST Conference Men’s Golf Championships at Callawassie Island Golf Club.

The Golden Eagles combined to shoot a 3-under 285 for the day and are tied with Butler for the team lead. Xavier is two strokes behind MU and BU at 1-under.

Schmidtke, a Sheboygan North High School graduate, began his day with birdies on Nos. 1 and 2 and carded another five before a bogey on the par-4 16th hole (seventh hole on the Dogwood Course). He leads MU with seven birdies and is one of two MU golfers under par.

The native of Sheboygan, Wisconsin occupied the fifth spot in the MU lineup on Saturday morning and recorded a new season-best round. Schmidtke is one stroke ahead of Butler’s Derek Tabor, who shot a 4-under 68 on Saturday.

He has made steady strides in his game this season while competing as an individual for most of the year. Schmidtke was MU’s third finisher in the Irish Creek Collegiate on April 7-8 and was fourth on the squad with a 1-over 214 at the Boilermaker Invitational last weekend. He recorded a 1-under 70 in the first round at Purdue and closed his final round with three consecutive birdies to place ahead of Purdue’s No. 2 golfer on the day.

Junior Johan Widal began his morning with a first hole bogey, but rallied with five birdies and is tied with four other golfers in ninth at 1-under (71).

The Golden Eagles are back at Callawassie Island for the first time since 2019 since they won the event for their fourth BIG EAST crown. MU won its fifth title in 2023 at nearby Riverton Pointe Golf Club in Hardeeville, South Carolina.

MU begins Sunday’s second round at 9:25 a.m. Central time paired with Xavier and Butler. Marquette leads the BIG EAST at No. 46 in the most recent Scoreboard NCAA Division I Men’s College Golf Rankings and is 88 spots ahead of the league’s second ranked team, Xavier at 134.

1. Marquette, -3 (285)
1. Mason Schmidtke, -5 (67)
T-9. Johan Widal, -1 (71)
T-16. Patrick Adler, +1 (73)
T-24. Vincent Cervantes, +2 (74)
T-41. Max Lyons, +5 (77)

THE COURSE
Callawassie Island Golf Club hosted the BIG EAST Men’s Golf Championships from 2014-19 and was slated to host in 2020 before the college golf season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This week’s event will be held on the Magnolia (front nine) and Dogwood (back nine) courses, designed by the legendary Tom Fazio.

FRONT NINE – The Magnolia Course (virtual tour) from the club website: At 3,564 yards, the Magnolia Course is the longest of our three nines. In order to successfully navigate the course, you must put all of your golf skills to the test. Long, accurate drives, calculated second shots, and precision play of the par 3s will ensure a successful round.

BACK NINE – The Dogwood Course (virtual tour) from the club website: Both your short and long games will be tested on the interesting mix of holes at our Dogwood Course. While golfing on the Dogwood, you’ll surely enjoy the natural beauty of the surrounding marsh vistas, and will likely spot some of the birds and animals who call the island home.

MU has won three team titles at the course (2015, 2017, 2019), while three golfers earned medalist honors (Patrick Sanchez (2015), Matthew Bachmann (2017) and Eichhorn (2018)).

LIVE COVERAGE
For the second straight year, GKLive.TV, will provide online coverage of the Championship. The broadcast is entirely free and users ust have to register to activate an account for the event. The broadcast includes static cameras on 12 of the 18 holes and live commentary and interviews off the 18th green.

PREVIOUS BIG EAST INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Patrick Adler
2024: S; -1 (71 (final round))

Max Lyons
2024: T13th (third on MU); +6 (74-78-70—222)
2023: T12th (second on MU); +4 (72-73-75—220)
2022: T17th (fifth on MU); +2 (64*-78-76—218)

Mason Schmidtke
2024: 38th (fourth on MU); +14 (79-76-75—230)

*BIG EAST Championship 18-hole record

PREVIOUS BIG EAST TEAM FINISHES
*at Callawassie Island
2024: 4th (+17, 291-302-288—881)
2023: 1st (+9, 293-279-301—873)
2022: 2nd (-12, 281-289-282—852)
2021: 2nd (+11, 286-293-296—875)
2020: No Event
2019: 1st (+8, 303-288-271—872)*
2018: 2nd (+25, 290-306-291—884)*
2017: 1st (+35, 204-209-286—899)*
2016: 4th (+34, 299-293-306—898)*
2015: 1st (+33, 304-297-296—897)*
2014: 2nd (+28, 295-300-297—892)*
2013: 7th (+27, 292-305-294—891)
2012: 8th (+34, 299-301-298—898)
2011: T-7th (+52, 304-303-297—904)
2010: T-9th (+43, 306-288-301—895)
2009: 2nd (-12, 292-287-273—852)
2008: 1st (+10, 291-288-295—874)
2007: 4th (+8, 290-294-288—872)
2006: 3rd (-18, 285-278-283—846)

BIG EAST MEDALISTS – MARQUETTE
2023: Bhoom Sima-Aree (-3, 73-68-72—213)
2021: Hunter Eichhorn (-7, 68-71-70—209)
2018: Hunter Eichhorn (-2, 69-73-72—214)*
2017: Matthew Bachmann (E, 73-71-72—216)*
2015: Patrick Sanchez (-1, 73-73-69—215)*
2008: Ted Gray (-5, 68-68-75—211)

Keep up with the Marquette men’s golf program through social media by following on X (@MarquetteMGolf) and Instagram (@MarquetteMGolf) and ‘liking’ on Facebook (/MarquetteMGolf).

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.