MAYETTE, Kan. - Josh Esterley took second place at Washburn's Firekeeper Open to help the Golden Bear men's golf team to a third-place team finish. The sophomore golfer shot rounds of 67 (-5), 73 (+1) and 69 (-3) for a total of 209 (-7) at the par-72 Firekeeper Golf Course. 

The 209 (-7) surpasses Brandon Sperling's 204 (-6) at last season's NCAA Central Region Preview. Thomas Gutzmer tied Noah Rasinski's 209 (-4) earlier this season, which now falls to tie for the third-lowest three-round scores in program history. Esterley's 67 (-5) in round one marks the sixth-lowest round in school history. 

CSP shot 298 (+10) in Tuesday's third round after shooting 287 (-1) and 285 (-3) in the first two rounds. The Golden Bears' total of 870 (+6) marks their best three-round team score of the season. 

Esterley's 69 (-3) in the third round was highlighted by four birdies on holes four, eight, 10 and 17. He totaled 13 birdies, 36 pars and just four bogeys throughout the three rounds. The sophomore shot even on par threes, one-under-par on par fours and six-under-par on par fives. 

His 67 (-5) in the first round tied for the best overall round in the tournament. The sophomore had the third-most birdies at the tournament and tied for the second-best score on par fours. He also had the fifth-best score on par fives and tied for the seventh-best score on par threes. 

Esterley tallied his second-best finish of the season behind his first-place finish at the Watkins Invitational last fall. This is his third top-20 finish of the season and his best at a three-round tournament. 

Gutzmer shot rounds of 73 (+1), 69 (-3) and 76 (+4) to total 218 (+2) and tie for 11th. This is his second-best three-round score of the season and the 69 (-3) in round two tied for his third-lowest round of the season. This marked the senior's sixth top-20 finish of the season. 

The senior's team-high 37 total pars tied for the sixth-most at the tournament. He also added eight total birdies. Gutzmer tied for the seventh-best score at the tournament on par threes, shooting even. 

Senior Tommy Marker tied for 25th shooting 222 (+6) with rounds of 72 (E), 76 (+4) and 74 (+2). This marked the second-lowest three-round score of his career after he shot 218 (+5) earlier this season at the Washburn Invitational. Marker finished the tournament with seven birdies, 35 pars and 11 bogeys. 

Trey Timm tied for 61st shooting 228 (+12) with rounds of 75 (+3), 73 (+1) and 80 (+8). This marked the junior's lowest three-round score of the season. Tyler Debruyckere tied for 74th at 230 (+14) with rounds of 81 (+9), 70 (-2) and 79 (+7). Chase Camilli competed individually and tied for 86th shooting 233 (+17) and rounds of 83 (+11), 72 (E) and 78 (+6). 

No. 8 Oklahoma Christian won the tournament shooting 859 (-5) with a miraculous 280 (-8) in the third round. The Eagles are ranked second in the south central region. No. 5 Central Oklahoma was one stroke ahead of the Golden Bears in second shooting 869 (+5). The Bronchos are the top-ranked team in the central region. 

The Golden Bears had the best finish out of the NSIC as Winona State tied for sixth place shooting 887 (+23). CSP defeated seven in-region teams ranked higher than the Golden Bears in the latest region rankings. That includes No. 21 Harding, ranked second in the central region rankings tying for eighth shooting 888 (+24). 

Washburn's Blake Saffell won the tournament individually shooting 207 (-9). He shot 68 (-4), 68 (-4) and 71 (-1) with a birdie on the final hole on Tuesday. Oklahoma Christian's Oskari Nikkue and Leandro Mihaich tied for third with Central Oklahoma's Nicholas Canales shooting 211 (-5). 

Concordia-St. Paul will now prepare for the three-round NSIC Championships at Adams Pointe Golf Club in Blue Springs, Missouri on April 17-19. CSP won the NSIC Conference Preview at the same course on March 24-25, defeating second-place Bemidji State by two strokes.