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Royals Finish Runner-Up at East Tennessee Collegiate

Royals Finish Runner-Up at East Tennessee Collegiate
September 23, 2025

The Johnson University men's golf team put up a strong performance this week at the East Tennessee Collegiate, finishing in second place overall in a competitive 14-team field. The Royals posted rounds of 277 and 285 for a two-day total of 562, finishing at 14-under par—just nine strokes behind team champion Cumberlands (-23).

Day One Success
The Royals opened the tournament with an impressive 277 (-11) on Monday, placing them on the top of the leaderboard. Four players posted under-par or even-par rounds, setting the tone for a strong start.

  • Jetson Murrell led the way with a blistering 67 (-5), highlighted by steady play on the front nine and clutch birdies coming home.

  • Dean Knight carded a 68 (-4), putting together one of his best rounds of the season.

  • Sondre Pedersen and Landon Dyer each posted under-par scores, finishing at 69 (-3) and 73 (+1) respectively.

  • Coopar Nianios rounded out the group with a steady 73 (+1).

Day Two Battles
On Tuesday, the Royals followed up with a solid 285 (-3) to secure their runner-up finish.

  • Coopar Nianios bounced back with the low round of the day for the Royals, firing a 67 (-5).

  • Landon Dyer also found his rhythm, finishing at 71 (-1).

  • Dean Knight shot a consistent 74 (+2), while Jetson Murrell posted a 73 (+1).

  • Sondre Pedersen battled through a tough round to finish at 80 (+8).

Coach's Take
Head Coach Jace Devault was proud of his team's performance and the statement they made this week:

"Super proud of the guys! We put ourselves in a position to win this week and we battled til the very end. This was a really good field with a lot of good teams, and we talked about it after the round that we put JU golf on the map the last few days and we're here to stay. The guys are now determined more than ever to go win and I expect a couple good weeks of practice to give ourselves another chance to accomplish that goal!"

Looking Ahead
The Royals will look to carry this momentum into their next tournament on October 5th as they compete at The 2025 Fall Koala Invite. in Wagram, North Carolina.