Dyer, Latimer, and May Pace Eagles Through AAC Championship Run

Adairsville, GA - Reinhardt University Men's Golf captured the 2026 AAC Direct Qualifier Championship Tournament on Tuesday, finishing first in the 14-team field at +18 over par at Barnsley Gardens Resort in Adairsville, Georgia. The Eagles were led by Pride Dyer and Griffin Latimer, who each finished at +2 for the tournament and share the tournament title, while Zane May added a fourth-place finish at +4 as Reinhardt secured its spot in the NAIA National Tournament.

Reinhardt set the tone early with a team score of +4 in the opening round, then held its position through a tougher second round at +13 before closing with a steady +1 in the third round. That three-round total was comfortably ahead of runner-up Milligan University at +52 and third-place Truett McConnell at +58. The tournament was played on a par-72, 6,966-yard course, and Reinhardt placed five golfers inside the top 20.

Dyer and Latimer shared the top spot in the tournament after taking different paths to the same final number. Dyer carded rounds of +1, +4 and -3, using the low final round among Reinhardt players to climb into the tie for first. Latimer opened with a strong 2-under round, followed by a +4 in the second round, and finished at even par in the final round to hold his place atop the leaderboard. May stayed close throughout with rounds of +2, +3, and -1, tying for fourth at +4. Dyer had the best round at -3 on the final day, which propelled him to the lead spot

The rest of Reinhardt's scoring lineup added key depth to the championship effort. Trey Schmidt finished 10th at +12 after rounds of +3, +2, and +7, and MJ Hodge tied for 20th at +18 with rounds of +9, +4, and +5. That balance allowed the Eagles to maintain control of the team race even when the second round produced their highest score of the event.

Reinhardt's showing also brought a wave of postseason honors. Dyer, Latimer, and May were named to the AAC All-Tournament Team. Dyer, May, Latimer, Hodge, and Schmidt all earned 2026 AAC All-Conference recognition. Head coach Evans Nichols was named AAC Coach of the Year, and Latimer was selected AAC Freshman of the Year. This is the second year in a row that the Eagles received the Freshman of the Year award.  Schmidt was the recipient in 2025 after having an outstanding first season.

The tournament ended with one more Reinhardt moment after the team title had already been secured. Dyer and May went to a two-hole playoff to determine AAC Player of the Year, and Dyer won by one stroke on the second playoff hole after the pair remained tied through the first extra hole. Reinhardt, ranked No. 5 in the latest NAIA poll, now advances to the NAIA National Championships at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, scheduled for May 12-15.