Michigan
Wolverine at Radrick Farms
U-M Wins Home Tournament, Places Three Among Top 10
9/27/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Course: Radrick Farms Golf Club (par 72, 6,979 yards)
Tournament: Wolverine at Radrick Farms
U-M Standing: 1st Place of 14 Teams (277-278-285/840)
Top U-M Individual: Matt Thompson (69-70-68) and Lion Kim (69-67-71), T-2nd (207)
Next Event: Sun-Mon., Oct. 4-5 -- at Windon Memorial Classic (Glencoe, Ill.)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- With a trio of Wolverines finishing among the top 10 individually, the University of Michigan men's golf team posted its third straight sub-par round to hold on to its lead and win the 2009 Wolverine at Radrick Farms today (Sunday, Sept. 27) at the Radrick Farms Golf Club. The win extends U-M's streak of earning at least one team title to three seasons.
With the U-M football team hosting Indiana on Saturday, the Wolverines' normal home course -- the U-M Golf Course -- was unavailable. Therefore, the Maize and Blue shifted the 14-team event to its alternate Ann Arbor Course -- Radrick Farms Golf Club.
Despite the secondary location, U-M maintained its home-course advantage as the Wolverines were the only team to post three straight under-par team rounds on their way to a seven-stroke win. Their 54-hole total of 24-under 840 is just a single shot off the U-M 54-hole school record.
The Wolverines built an 11-shot lead after Saturday's first 36 holes with team rounds of 11-under 277 and 10-under 278 in the first and second rounds, respectively. In the final round, the Wolverine putters cooled off slightly, but U-M still closed with a three-under 285 in the third and final round to hold off Arkansas (278-288-281), which closed seven shots back at 847, and Louisville (293-285-278), which closed at 856.
Junior Lion Kim (Lake Mary, Fla./Lake Mary Prep School) did not hold on to his first-day lead as Arkansas' Jamie Marshall caught fire in the final round, using a seven-under 65 to vault past Kim for the individual win by a single shot at 206 (70-71-65).
Kim closed with a career-best finish as runner-up after posting a career-best, nine-under 207 (69-67-71). Sophomore teammate Matt Thompson (Battle Creek, Mich./Lakeview HS), who also closed at nine-under 207 (69-70-68), shared runner-up honors with Kim. Thompson's runner-up finish gives him two top-three finishes. He has also shot six consecutive rounds under par and five under 70 to start the season.
Meanwhile, freshman Jack Schultz (Whitefish Bay, Wis./Whitefish Bay HS) used a career-best, six-under 210 (69-69-72) to help the Wolverines place three individuals among the top 10, tying for seventh with two others.
Freshman Rahul Bakshi (Chandigarh, India/St. John's HS) and sophomore Alex Frankel (Atlanta, Ga./Lovett School) rounded out the Wolverine starting five as Bakshi tied for 32nd at 222 (76-72-74) and Frankel tied for 44th at 224 (70-76-78). Senior Michael Slovitt (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier HS) highlighted the U-M individuals, tying for 58th at 227 (77-73-77), while freshman Miguel Echavarria (Medellin, Colombia/The Columbus School) tied for 61st at 228 (76-72-80) in his first collegiate event after walking onto the team a week ago.
The Wolverines continue their fall season, heading to Glencoe, Ill., Sunday and Monday (Oct. 4-5) for the 2009 Windon Memorial Classic. The 54-hole tournament will be held at the Skokie Country Club. Last year, U-M finished seventh in the event, held at the North Shore Country Club.
Team Standings
1. MICHIGAN 277-278-285 = 840 (-24) 2. Arkansas 278-288-281 = 847 3. Louisville 293-285-278 = 856 4. Baylor 285-289-287 = 861 5. Minnesota 288-291-288 = 867 6. Eastern Michigan 291-290-288 = 869 7. Iowa State 297-284-289 = 870 8. Purdue 294-289-290 = 873 9. Miami (Ohio) 296-285-299 = 880 10. Wisconsin 298-290-294 = 882 11. Toledo 289-298-296 = 883 12. Xavier 304-293-292 = 889 13. St. John's 300-298-294 = 892 14. Marshall 295-293-311 = 899
Top Individuals
1. Jamie Marshall, Arkansas 70-71-65 = 206 (-10)
2. MATT THOMPSON, U-M 69-70-68 = 207
LION KIM, U-M 69-67-71 = 207
4. Jordan Elsen, Wisconsin 71-68-69 = 208
David Lingmerth, Arkansas 71-70-67 = 208
6. Justin Dorward, Louisville 71-71-67 = 209
7. Ben Pisani, Minnesota 69-71-70 = 210
JACK SCHULTZ, U-M 69-69-72 = 210
Cody Paladino, Baylor 69-71-70 = 210
10. Joakim Mikkelsen, Baylor 72-71-68 = 211
Other Michigan Individuals
T32. Rahul Bakshi 76-72-74 = 222 T44. Alex Frankel 70-76-78 = 224 T58. Michael Slovitt* 77-73-77 = 227 T61. Miguel Echavarria* 76-72-80 = 228 T67. Alexander Sitompul* 76-72-82 = 230 T69. Ross Millman* 79-77-75 = 231 74. Billy McKay* 78-76-79 = 233
* played as individual
NOTES
• Michigan's team win at the 2009 Wolverine at Radrick Farms gives the Maize and Blue its 39th team win in the history of the program. It also marked the third consecutive season the Wolverines have won at least one team tournament title. In addition to this weekend's title, U-M won two team titles during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons.
• With the team title at the 2009 Wolverine at Radrick Farms, U-M head coach Andrew Sapp garnered his sixth trophy with the Wolverines and the 32nd of his coaching career. Of the half dozen wins for Sapp, four have come while hosting an event. Sapp's other five titles include: 2008 Wolverine Intercollegiate, 2008 Wolf Run Intercollegiate, 2007 Wolverine at Mission Inn, 2007 Purdue Midwest Shootout and 2005 Wolverine Intercollegiate.
• Michigan's 24-under 840 tally at the Wolverine at Radrick Farms just missed the U-M 54-hole record by a single stroke. The Wolverines closed as the only team to post all three rounds under par -- 11-under 277, 10-under 278 and three-under 285. The Maize and Blue 54-hole record is 839 (277-275-287), which was totaled at the 2005 Wolverine Intercollegiate.
• Michigan's first round 11-under 277 was a season best and the first team tally under par this season. The tally equals U-M's second-best team round in a tournament -- U-M had a 277 in the first round of the 2005 Wolverine Intercollegiate. The all-time record is 275, which has been tallied three times over the last four seasons.
• Matt Thompson continued his red-hot streak to start the season as he has yet to shoot a round over par this season. In six total rounds this season, he has five sub-70 rounds. In two events thus far, he has closed with a career-best, eight-under 205 in the season-opening Wolf Run and a nine-under 207 at the Wolverine at Radrick Farms.
• Lion Kim's nine-under 207 tally at the Wolverine at Radrick Farms is a new career-best 54-hole tournament total by five strokes. His prior best was a 212 tally at the 2009 FAU Spring Break Championship. Kim's second-round, five-under 67 equals his career-best, single-round tally, which he first posted in the final round of the FAU Spring Break Championship.
• After playing three over on his first nine holes of the first round, Jack Schultz rebounded with seven birdies in his final nine to post a career-best, three-under 69. He followed that with a second three-under 69 in the second round. The tallies mark his first sub-par round of his collegiate career. He closed at six-under 210 for the event.
• In his first collegiate start, Alex Frankel's first-round, two-under 70 set a new career best for single round. The tally topped his previous best of 74, which he posted in the second and third rounds of the 2008 Wolverine Intercollegiate at the U-M Golf Course.
• Michigan was the only school to post three individuals among the top 10 this weekend -- Lion Kim (tie-2nd), Matt Thompson (tie-2nd) and Jack Schultz (t-7th). The Maize and Blue trio also dominated the par 4s, with Kim playing them six under (3.80) to lead the tournament, while Thompson and Schultz were two under (3.93).
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Andrew Sapp
On holding on for the team win at the Wolverine at Radrick Farms ... "Arkansas definitely made a charge and it made us a bit nervous. They had two guys just lighting it up out there, but our guys answered. But we got some birdies late on the last few holes that really helped us push through. We had some guys step up late for us and that was the key. For a long time we were even par and we were able to close three under, so that shows we finished strong and were able to answer anyone's charge. This is a great team win for us."
On the play of Lion Kim and Matt Thompson ... "They have done a great job coming off momentum from last spring as well as playing well over the summer. That's what we ask our players to do is work hard over the summer so when the fall arrives they are well prepared and it shows. They are both talented players and they are capable of shooting these scores. It is to no surprise to me, but we are really pleased that these guys have carried us in the first couple of events."
On the fast start to the season ... "I'm still not pleased with the way we played at Wolf Run, but we responded this weekend. We played a lot better here and shot under par all three rounds. It shows were going in the right direction. We have three more fall events to play starting next week. We have to keep going, keep playing well and keep shooting some good scores and it will all take care of itself. But every tournament we play we are 'Playing for May' because that's when the championships are and each tournament counts to get there."
U-M Junior Lion Kim
On his play this weekend ... "Our team won and that's what matters because college golf is team golf. I am a little disappointed individually. I had the lead going into the final round. I just putted differently today, no real way to explain it. It was just different. I had a lot of three-putts out there and missed a lot of short putts, but I am happy that we won today and that is what matters most."
On the team's play and the play of Matt Thompson ... "Matt is playing phenomenal. He has shot under par every round and I'm just trying to keep up with him and improve every day. Everyone is working hard and hopefully we will do continue to do what it takes to be successful. But so far so good. We just need to make sure we use some of this momentum gained this weekend next week in Chicago."
U-M Sophomore Matt Thompson
On his red-hot play ... "This summer definitely helped me. Making it to the U.S. Amateur Championship match play really just gave me so much confidence and some added momentum to the start of the season. Really, I'm just trying to keep the same thoughts and swing and hit it around when I'm not playing well. But I am putting the best that I can ever remember so that helps on the days when I'm not hitting as well."
On winning U-M's home event ... "It's definitely huge for us. You have to win your own tournament. We did not play terrible at Wolf Run but it was not the start we were looking for starting the fall but we were able to take care of business here. We just need to make sure we continue to practice well and really learn from this weekend and carry that with us as we move forward this fall."
Players Mentioned
