PALM HARBOR, Fla. – The Lincoln Memorial men's golf team will face the nation's top-seven teams this week when the Railsplitters take part in the Copperhead Championship at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Fla. The 54-hole event that is hosted by the University of West Florida begins with two 18-hole rounds on Monday and concludes with a final 18-hole spin on Tuesday. 
 
The absolute best that Division II men's golf has to offer will be competing at the Copperhead Championship. In total, the field features 11 teams that are ranked in the top 25 of the most recent Bushnell Golfweek Division II Coaches Poll, including No. 1 Barry, No. 2 Florida Southern, No. 3 Lynn, No. 4 Saint Leo, No. 5 Nova Southeastern, No. 6 Florida Tech and No. 7 West Florida. In addition to that, No. 19 Lander, No. 21 Limestone and No. 22 Valdosta State are also set to compete. The Railsplitters enter the tournament ranked 17th nationally. 
 
The teams in the field have combined to win 22 NCAA Division II National Championships, including each of the last seven. Lynn is the defending national champs, while Florida Southern captured its 13th national title in 2017. Saint Leo, Nova Southeastern and Barry won it the previous three seasons. 
 
It's a daunting field, but the Railsplitters proved that they can compete with anybody last season when they made a run to the national quarterfinals. It's also risky to compete in a tournament of this quality early in the season, but head coach Travis Muncy understands the long-term advantages of doing so. 
 
"A top-three finish is always our goal in these giant tournaments. It would be nice to go down there and win," Muncy said. "It would really propel you in the national rankings to go down there and do that, but there's a ton of teams that will be competing to go to the national championship in May. 
 
"It's a good field and we have to do this to maintain a top-10 ranking. You have to go down there and play them. They don't come out of Florida so we have to go play them in Florida."
 
The Railsplitters are coming off a win two weeks ago at the Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate. Lincoln Memorial led by 11 strokes after firing a round-one, five-under par 279, but narrowly held on to win by two shots following a final-round, five-over par 289. LMU's opening-round 279 was its lowest score of the season so far. 
 
"We are starting to play some better golf than we did in the first part of the season," Muncy said. "We're getting all five guys playing well. And it's at a good time because we are getting ready to hit probably the toughest part of our schedule. Two important tournaments coming up these next two weeks." 
 
Sophomore Dan Bradbury and senior Sam Broadhurst continued to thrive for the Railsplitters. Bradbury shot back-to-back, three-under par 68s to run away with individual medalist honors – LMU's third individual title of the 2018-19 season. Broadhurst, who won the first two tournaments of the season, tied for second place with rounds of 71 and 68. 
 
"Extraordinary golf," described Muncy. "Sam and Dan both are probably hitting it better than I've ever seen them hit it before. They are putting well. Their whole games are phenomenal right now."
 
The other three players in the Railsplitters' rotation performed well enough to help solidify the victory. Andrew Briggs posted a career-low 69 in the opening round and eventually tied for 15th place, while Luke Harries fired an opening-round, even-par 71. Harry Boyle tied for 38th place with back-to-back rounds of 76, with his second round serving as the third-best score of the day for the Railsplitters.  
 
"We're starting to get the other guys playing well," Muncy said. "Harry was in a little bit of a rut, but he's working his way out of it. Luke and Andrew are both new to the starting five, but they are getting their bearings." 
 
The Railsplitters will have to be at their best to have a chance to contend for the Copperhead Championship title. Last season, Florida Southern won it with a five-over par, 54-hole total of 857, while West Florida finished second at eight-over par. 
 
But Lincoln Memorial played on even terms or better than several of the teams in the field this week with the highest stakes on the line last season. In the South/Southeast Regional, the Railsplitters topped Saint Leo, Florida Tech, Limestone, Lander and Nova Southeastern to earn their first-ever bid to the National Championship. 
 
The Railsplitters lost a hard-fought decision against Florida Southern in the 2017 national quarterfinals. 
 
Lincoln Memorial opens the Copperhead Championship on Monday morning. A recap and results from each day of the event will be available at www.lmurailsplitters.com once play is complete.