Wolverines Lose B1G Match Play Quarterfinal on Tiebreaker

Friday, February 10

Palm Coast, Fla.

1:15 PM

Michigan

Minnesota

Wolverines Lose B1G Match Play Quarterfinal on Tiebreaker

2/10/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf

By: Tom Wywrot

» The Wolverines opened Big Ten Match Play with a 3-3 tie against Minnesota, but the Maize and Blue lost the tiebreaker and will go to the consolation semifinals.
» Kyle Mueller led wire to wire in his 5-and-4 win over Peter Jones. Mueller is now 8-1 all-time in the Big Ten Match Play.
» Tom Swanson came back in his match to defeat Runar Arnorsson, 2 and 1. Swanson was 1-down with six holes to play but won three of the next five holes to secure the win.
» Michigan will face Rutgers on Saturday morning (Feb. 11) at 8 a.m. and will play for either fifth or seventh place at 1:15 p.m.

Site: Palm Coast, Fla.
Course: Hammock Beach Resort, Conservatory Course (par 72, 7,183 yards)
Tournament: Big Ten Match Play Championship (Day 1 of 2)
U-M Team Standing: 0-0-1 after Day 1
Quarterfinal: Minnesota 3, Michigan 3 (Minnesota wins tiebreaker, 9-7)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 11 -- vs. Rutgers - Big Ten Match Play (Palm Coast, Fla.), 8 a.m.

PALM COAST, Fla. -- Junior Kyle Mueller led wire to wire, and senior Tom Swanson had an impressive back nine to win his match, but the University of Michigan men's golf team tied Minnesota, 3-3, and lost the tiebreaker, 9-7, Friday (Feb. 10) in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Match Play Championship, held at the Hammock Beach Resort's Conservatory Course. Michigan will now go into the consolation semifinals and face Rutgers Saturday morning (Feb. 11) with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.

"A lot of our matches went right down to the final holes today," U-M head coach Chris Whitten said. "I think we knew that every hole and every point would be important because Minnesota has a very good team."

Mueller birdied his first hole of the day, the par-4 seventh, and never looked back in his match against the Gophers' Peter Jones. He took a 3-up lead with a par on 10 and birdied the par-3 17th hole to go 5-up with seven holes to play. Mueller finished off the match with a par on the second hole for the 5-and-4 win, improving to 8-1 all-time in this tournament.

"Kyle really played solid golf and looked relaxed all day," Whitten said. "I think he kept putting pressure on his opponent with good ball striking, which is the name of his game."

Swanson started on the fifth hole and led 1-up after a par on the 10th. Minnesota's Runar Arnorsson won the 11th and 12th to take a 1-up lead. The duo halved the next four holes until Swanson parred the 17th and birdied the 18th to retake the lead. He won the third hole with a par on the par-3 third to win the match, 2 and 1.

"Tom was fighting hard for the whole round but struggled with his tee shots," Whitten said. "In the final holes, he made some unbelievable recovery shots and converted putts with a lot of pressure on them. That will be important for him even after this week."

Minnesota won the tiebreaker on holes won as the Gophers' Riley Johnson won his match, 8 and 7, over senior Bryce Evon and Riley Johnson defeated senior Reed Hrynewich, 1 up.

Junior Ian Kim battled back to halve his match with Thomas Longbella. Kim was 2 down with five holes remaining but parred both the 18th and first holes to square the match. Longbella won the second hole to retake the lead, but Kim parred the final hole while Longbella had a double bogey, giving the Wolverines half a point. Sophomore Nick Carlson halved his match with Justin Doeden. Carlson was 1 up with two to play, but Doeden won the fourth hole with a par and both players parred the fifth to complete the halved match.

The Wolverines will have two matches on Saturday (Feb. 11). Michigan will face Rutgers at 8 a.m. and then will play for either fifth or seventh place against Michigan State or Purdue at 1:15 p.m.

"It's disappointing to lose on the tiebreaker today; it goes to show how important every shot really is," Whitten concluded. "We have two more matches tomorrow, and we will absolutely be ready to go."

Big Ten Match Play Results

First Round, Friday (Feb. 10)
Rutgers defeats Ohio State, 4-2
Minnesota defeats Nebraska, 4-2
Iowa defeats Indiana, 4-2

Quarterfinals, Friday (Feb. 10)
Penn State defeats Purdue, 3.5-2.5
Iowa defeats Michigan State, 3-3 (Iowa wins tiebreaker)
Minnesota defeats Michigan, 3-3 (Minnesota wins tiebreaker)
Northwestern defeats Rutgers, 4-2

Round Robin, Friday (Feb. 10)
Ohio State defeats Nebraska, 6-0

U-M Quarterfinal vs. Minnesota
Tom Swanson (MICH) defeats Runar Arnorsson (MINN), 2 & 1
Ian Kim (MICH) vs. Thomas Longbella (MINN), halved
Nick Carlson (MICH) vs. Justin Doeden (MINN), halved
Riley Johnson (MINN) defeats Bryce Evon (MICH), 8 & 7
Matt Rachey (MINN) defeats Reed Hrynewich (MICH), 1 up
Kyle Mueller (MICH) defeats Peter Jones (MINN), 5 & 4