By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
PEOSTA, Iowa — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's golf team kicks off the spring portion of its schedule on Sunday and Monday, heading to Thunder Hills Country Club to take part in the Loras Invitational.
 
Saint Mary's Last Action:
• Oct. 6-7, 2018 * Ridges at Sand Creek * Jordan, Minn.: Unseasonably cold weather — and a decision to play the second and third rounds in one day, rather than two — did not seem to bother the Cardinals, Saint Mary's — behind a second-round 72 from Kyle Brodt (Roseville, Minn.) and a final-round 73 from Joe Abdo (Edina, Minn.) — placed eighth in the 54-hole event | Day 1 Recap * Day 2 Recap
 
Saint Mary's At Loras Invitational — Their Last Appearance:
• April 2-3, 2017 * Thunder Hills Country Club * Peosta, Iowa
 
Saint Mary's Up Next:
• The Cardinals close out the spring portion of their schedule next weekend, returning home to The Bridges to host the 36-hole Saint Mary's Invitational.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2018-19 Roster | 2018-19 Schedule | 2018-19 Statistics
• The Cardinals put together their two low rounds of the season at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships on Oct. 6-7, carding a second-round 311, before adding a season-low 308 in the third round. … Kyle Brodt (Roseville, Minn.) carded an even-par 72 during the second round of the MIAC Championships — it was the Cardinals' low round of the 54-hole tournament. … Brodt closed out the conference championships with an eight-over-par 224 total, firing rounds of 76-72-76. … Joe Abdo (Edina, Minn.) added a one-over 73 in the third round of the conference championships to finish second to Brodt with a 234 54-hole total (81-80-73). … Brodt heads into the spring portion of the Cardinals' schedule leading the team with a 75.82 scoring average, followed by Abdo at 77.46 and Bryce Galewski (Winona, Minn.) at 79.86. … Eight of Brodt's nine competitive rounds this season have been 79 or less, while Abdo has recorded scores of 79 or better in eight of his 12 rounds — including a career-low one-under 71 during the opening round of the Augsburg Invitational on Sept. 1. … Abdo's one-under-par 71 is the Cardinals' low round to date, and the first sub-par round since Tyler Dove carded a three-under-par 69 during the third round of the 2017 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships. … Brodt and Abdo have accounted for the Cardinals' seven low rounds of the year — Brodt posting scores of 72, 73, 73, and Abdo adding 71, 73, 74, 75. … The Cardinals have recorded 31 rounds of 79 or better this season. Saint Mary's posted 40 sub-80 rounds a year ago. … As a team, the Cardinals own a 315.93 scoring average. Saint Mary's 313.5 scoring average in 2017 was a single-season school record, four shots better than the previous mark, set in 1995. … With their eighth-place finish at the MIAC Championships, the Cardinals have now placed eighth or higher in back-to-back conference championships — Saint Mary's seventh-place finish at the 2017 MIAC Championships was its best showing since placing fifth during the 2008 season. … With their 12-shot win over Macalester in the season-opening Mac/Mary Dual on Aug. 31, the Cardinals have now beaten the Scots in each of the last three duals.