CINCINNATI, Ohio (10/19/2026) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's golf team posted a strong second round to keep a top-five finish in contention as the Titans opened play at the Xavier Invitational on Monday.

Detroit Mercy started slowly with a 304 in the morning, but rebounded to a 5-over 285 - tying a season low - in the second round and are seventh with a 589 at the par-70, 7,109-yard Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati, Ohio. UDM will begin round three just five strokes outside of the top five.

Freshman Christian Helzer leads the Titans and is tied for 13th overall with a 143 (74-69). He started the event with back-to-back birdies, but got into trouble with bogeys on six of his next nine holes before finishing his final seven holes at even par. In the afternoon, he started with birdies on three of his first six holes and finished with four birdies and 12 pars for a 1-under 69.

Senior Ethan Oblak shared 22nd with a 146 (76-70), while senior David Swab tallied a 147 (73-74) and is tied for 24th.

Oblak registered three birdies and eight pars on the opening 18, and knocked in three birdies and 12 pars for his even-par second-round mark. Swab recorded three birdies and 10 pars for an opening 3-over 74 and added four more birdies in his 4-over 74 second round.

Sophomore Peyton Lawley shot a 148 (77-71) and is 31st, thanks to a second round that saw him tally two birdies and 13 pars for a 1-over 71. Senior Mason Sokolowski also carded a 1-over 71 in the afternoon, putting in two birdies and 13 pars, and is tied for 42nd with a 151 (80-71).

The final round of the tournament will tee off at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow.