Michigan
Nike Purdue Kiahuna Collegiate Invitational
Schaetzel, Wolverines Shine Against Strong Kauai Field
11/23/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Site:Â Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii
Course:Â Kiahuna Golf Club (Par 70, 6,885 Yards)
Tournament: Nike Purdue Kiahuna Collegiate Invitational
U-M Finish:Â 2nd Place of 9 Teams (281-294-278/853)
Top U-M Individual:Â Tim Schaetzel, tie-3rd (68-71-69/208)
Next U-M Event:Â Sun-Tue., Feb. 25-27 -- at Puerto Rico Classic (Rio Grande, P.R.)
POIPU, Kauai, Hawaii -- The University of Michigan men's golf team has plenty to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Led by a trio of top-10 individual finishes, the Wolverines defeated six higher-ranked teams -- including No. 1 Alabama and No. 5 Clemson -- to finish runner-up in the Nike Purdue Kiahuna Collegiate Invitational, held Wednesday and Thursday (Nov. 22-23) at the par-70, 6,885-yard Kiahuna Golf Club.
Michigan jumped from fourth place to second with a final-round, two-under-par 278 that vaulted the Wolverines past 36-hole leader Purdue and Clemson into second place. No. 23 Texas (279-291-277/847) carded the best final round and won the tournament by six shots over U-M (281-294-278/853).
Three Wolverines fired under-par rounds in the closing 18 holes, and each finished in the top 10 in the final individual standings. Junior Tim Schaetzel (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) tied for third (68-71-69/208), senior Kevin Dore (Dundas, Ontario/St. Mary's) placed eighth (70-74-68/212), and freshman Billy McKay (Grand Blanc, Mich./David Leadbetter Golf Academy) tied for ninth (70-74-69/213).
Dore eagled his opening hole in Thursday's final round, making a 3 on the 535-yard, par-5 fifth hole, and after a bogey, he made back-to-back birdies to go three under after four holes. He added one more birdie and two bogeys for his 68, which matched the low round of the day, and logged his fourth career top-10 and first of his senior season.
Schaetzel made two birdies and one bogey in his final-round 69 and tied his best career finish. He also tied for third at the Oklahoma Intercollegiate (Oct. 15-17) this fall. Schaetzel also made just one bogey in his first-round 68.
McKay opened his round Thursday with consecutive birdies on holes 5 and 6 and finished his 18 holes with his sixth birdie of the day to shoot 69. McKay, who triple bogeyed his fourth hole of the tournament, played his final 50 holes in even par for his first top-10 finish.
Sophomore Bill Rankin (Traverse City, Mich./Central) started his final round with a birdie on hole 6 and finished with a birdie on No. 5 to shoot 72 and finish tied for 28th (73-75-72/220). Sophomore Nick Pumford (St. Charles, Mich./St. Charles) finished 43rd (73-76-84/233).
Michigan, which entered the tournament listed No. 92 in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, finished ahead of six higher-ranked squads: No. 1 Alabama, No. 5 Clemson, No. 27 Purdue, No. 44 Pepperdine, No. 47 Notre Dame and No. 52 Virginia Tech.
The Nike Purdue Kiahuna Collegiate Invitational concludes Michigan's fall schedule. The Wolverines will return to action Feb. 25-27 at the Puerto Rico Classic at Rio Mar Country Club (River Course) in Rio Grande, P.R.
Team Standings
1. Texas 279-291-277 = 847 (+7) 2. MICHIGAN 281-294-278 = 853 3. Purdue 279-288-289 = 856 4. Virginia Tech 284-295-278 = 857 5. Clemson 292-280-287 = 859 6. Pepperdine 288-296-279 = 863 7. Alabama 290-298-283 = 871 8. Notre Dame 283-299-292 = 874 9. Rice 298-304-296 = 898
Top Individuals
1. Kyle Stanley, Clemson# 71-67-69 = 207 (-3)
2. Drew Weaver, Virginia Tech 71-68-68 = 207
3. TIM SCHAETZEL, U-M 68-71-69 = 208
Peter Richardson, Purdue 63-71-74 = 208
5. Lance Lopez, Texas 68-72-69 = 209
Farren Keenan, Texas 69-68-72 = 209
7. Pariya Junhasavasdikul, Purdue 73-66-71 = 210
8. KEVIN DORE, U-M 70-74-68 = 212
9. Michael Randle, Purdue 71-73-69 = 213
BILLY McKAY, U-M 70-74-69 = 213
# Won playoff on first hole with birdie
Other Michigan Individuals
T28. Bill Rankin 73-75-72 = 220 43. Nick Pumford 73-76-84 = 233
Players Mentioned
