Michigan
Indiana
Michigan Continues Run of Upsets to Clinch B1G Match Play Title
2/4/2023 7:59:00 PM | Men's Golf
» With match victories over No. 3 seed Indiana (3-2) and No. 1 seed Northwestern (3-2), Michigan knocked off the top three seeds to win its second Big Ten Match Play Championship title.
» U-M (8th seed) tied its own record as the lowest seed to win the conference's spring opening event. In 2014, the Wolverines won their first title as the eighth seed.
» Hunter Thomson (4-0) became the third U-M golfer to go undefeated, joining former Wolverines Patrick Sullivan (2020; 4-0) and Kyle Mueller (2015; 4-0) on the exclusive list.
» U-M is now 25-19-2 all-time at the Big Ten Match Play competition.
Site: Palm Coast, Fla.
Tournament: Big Ten Match Play Championship (Day2 of 2)
Course: Hammock Beach, Ocean Course (Par 72, 6,981 yards)
Results: Semifinal: #8 Michigan defeated #3 Indiana, 3-2; Final: #8 Michigan defeated #1 Northwestern, 3-2
Next U-M Event: Mon-Tue., Feb. 13-14 -- at Border Olympics (Laredo, Texas), Time TBA
PALM COAST, Fla. -- With a 1-up match-sealing victory from Hunter Thomson, the University of Michigan men's golf team defeated top-seeded Northwestern, 3-2, to win the Big Ten Match Play Championship title on Saturday (Feb. 4) at the Hammock Beach Ocean Course.
The Wolverines defeated the top three seeded teams during their two-day run to win the program's second Big Ten Match Play event title in program history. As the eight-seed, the Maize and Blue tied its own record as the lowest seeded team to win the conference's match play event; U-M matched the run in 2014 as the eight-seed, winning the competition 4-0.
With a 4-0 record, Thomson led the Wolverines over the two days with clutch putt after clutch putt. With his tally, he is the third Wolverines to go undefeated in the Big Ten's match play event joining Patrick Sullivan (2020; 4-0) and Kyle Mueller (2015; 4-0) on the list.
"This was a total team effort," said U-M head coach Zach Barlow. "Hunter (Thomson) leading the way, going 4-0, was just tremendous. I cannot say enough about the work these guys have put in this offseason. They're starting to reap the rewards of that. Matt (Hoffman) and I couldn't be more proud. A great start to the spring season that we will build on and get ready for a quick turnaround at Laredo!"
After wins over No. 7 seed Penn State (3-2) and No. 2 Michigan State (3.5-1.5) on Friday (Feb. 3), the Wolverines began the semifinals on Saturday against No. 3 seed Indiana. With a 5-and-3 win from Will Anderson over IU's Mitch Davis and a 4-and-2 victory by Ben Hoagland over IU's Eric Berggren, U-M was able to get two points right away. As the Hoosiers squared the match, 2-2, Thomson took the 16th hole to hold a 1-up lead over IU's Drew Salyers. With clutch putting, Thomson maintained his edge and sent the Wolverines to the championship match for the fourth time in program history.
"Obviously, this is such a great start to our spring season," said Anderson. "We worked our tails off this offseason to be ready. Everybody played great these past two days. As they say, this was a total team effort. Everyone contributed at different times and that was what we needed. Now, we need to build off this and carry this momentum going forward."
In the title match, Yuqi Liu earned U-M's first point, taking a 3-and-2 decision over NU's John Driscoll. The Maize and Blue got a second win as Jude Kim held off an early back-nine charge from Cameron Adam to secure a 2-and-1 victory. Like the semifinal, Northwestern rallied late and tied the match, 2-2, with a pair of 2-up wins.
That left Thomson's match against James Imai as the deciding match for the championship. In a back-and-forth battle between each team's No. 1 players, the match never reached more than a 1-up lead and had eight ties through 14 holes. Thomson struck on the 15th hole, however. After his drive went right into the waste area, his second shot landed on the green giving him a 30-foot putt. As Imai's approach was short and in the rough, he chipped to six feet.
Thomson's lag putt stopped just around three feet away from the pin, and Imai had a chance for par, but missed and carded a bogey. Thomson drained his putt and won the hole, giving him a 1-up lead which he held onto over the final three holes to secure the title for the Wolverines.
"I'm so proud of these boys," said Thomson. "We've put in so much work without any results for the past year or so. We stuck with it and it's good to finally see something go our way. It just shows you if we keep sticking to it then big things are coming. For myself, I feel the same way. I knew after this fall I was close to breaking through and it feels like it is beginning for me."
The Wolverines will return to their normal stroke play format as they head to Laredo, Texas, on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 13-14, for Houston's Border Olympics. The two-day, 54-hole event will be played at the Laredo Country Club. Last season, the Wolverines posted a 12th-place finish (913).
Big Ten Match Play Championship
Saturday, Feb. 4
No. 8 Michigan defeats No. 3 Indiana, 3-2
Hunter Thomson (U-M) defeated Drew Salyers (IU), 1-up
Will Anderson (U-M) defeated Mitch Davis (IU), 5-and-3
Noah Gillard (IU) defeated Jude Kim (U-M), 2-up
Ben Hoagland (U-M) defeated Eric Berggren (IU), 4-and-2
Harry Reynolds (IU) defeated Yuqi Liu (U-M), 3-and-1
No. 8 Michigan defeats No. 1 Northwestern, 3-2
Hunter Thomson (U-M) defeated James Imai (NU), 1-up
David Myfjall (NU) defeated Will Anderson (U-M), 2-up
Jude Kim (U-M) defeated Cameron Adam (NU), 2-and-1
Daniel Svard (NU) defeated Ben Hoagland (U-M), 2-up
Yuqi Liu (U-M) defeated John Driscoll (NU), 2-and-2
Match Play Results
Hunter Thomson (4-0-0)
Will Anderson (2-1-1)
Ben Hoagland (1-1-2)
Jude Kim (2-2-0)
Yuqi Liu (2-2-0)
Results: Day 1
Players Mentioned
