The Bowling Green men’s golf team got their parade rained on April 24 when their regular season finale, the Roger Kepler Intercollegiate, was cancelled due to inclimate weather.

But the Falcons made the most of their prospects by heading to Kent State Saturday to play a round with the Flashes.

The match didn’t count towards any standings, but it was a good tune up for the Falcons.

“We went over to play them and we shot pretty well,” BG head coach Garry Winger said.

The Falcons hung with the Flashes, who are regarded as the favorites to win this weekend’s Mid-American Conference tournament. BG finished the round off with a team score of 289 while the Flashes finished the day with a 277.

Heath Ziglar and Chris Leake led the Falcons as each of them shot a 71 on the day.

“Heath and Chris have stepped up and been our two best,” Winger said. “And Craig [Pickerel] played pretty well at Kent.”

But now that the Falcons have gotten their tuneup in before the MAC tournament, the real test begins. And that goes for in the classroom as well as the golf course.

This week, the team is finishing up their finals today before heading off to Westerville for the MAC tournament.

“When we get down there we can look at it in two ways,” Winger said. “It will be a relief for them because when they get back there won’t be anymore homework. But on the other hand, it will be a big mental strain in a four to five day period.”

The Falcons will get one practice round in Westerville tomorrow before the first round starts Thursday. Winger figures the team should be ready for the most part.

On top of Pickerel, Ziglar and Leake, BG will take Dan McIntyre and Tommy Lopez, the five golfers Winger feels are playing the best right now. The only one that doesn’t have experience on the course in Westerville is Lopez.

After a solid round against Kent State, BG has a legitimate reason to lay their claim at being MAC champions. Winger knows it’s all a matter of BG playing their best golf during their three days at the tournament.

“On any given day, anyone can beat anyone,” he said. “It’s a matter of putting together four solid rounds of golf.”

After starting out the spring season finishing last in the Irish Spring Invitational and the Pinehurst Invitational, the Falcons have finished in the middle of the pack in the last two tournaments, and have beaten several MAC teams along the way.

But for BG to win, they’ll have to worry more about themselves than their opponents.

“The only thing we can take care of is ourselves,” Winger said.

The opening round for the MAC tournament is slated for Thursday in Westerville.