Michigan
Chicago Highlands Collegiate
Thomson's Closes Among Top-20, U-M Finishes Ninth at Highlands Invitational
9/19/2023 7:45:00 PM | Men's Golf
» With a closing 291, Michigan posted an 872 total to finish ninth at the Highlands Invitational at the Chicago Highlands Club.
» With his second straight sub-par 54-hole total (213, -3), Hunter Thomson led U-M tying for 18th. After back-to-back rounds of 72 (E), he closed with a 69 (-3) giving him six straight totals at even or under par to start the season.
» With five birdies and an eagle in the second round, Yuqi Liu shot his career-low (68, -4). He, along with Will Anderson, tied for 41st at 219 (+3).
Site: Westchester, Illinois
Tournament: Highlands Invitational
Course: Chicago Highlands Club (par 72, 7,490 yards)
U-M Team Standing: 9th Place of 13 (296-285-291/872)
Top U-M Individual: Hunter Thomson, tie-18th (72-72-69/213, -3)
Next U-M Event: Mon-Tue., Sept. 25-26 -- at Virtues Intercollegiate (Nashport, Ohio), Time TBA
WESTCHESTER, Ill. -- With his second straight sub-par 54-hole total and 12th career top-20 finish, Hunter Thomson led the University of Michigan men's golf team to an 872 total to finish ninth at the Highlands Invitational at the Chicago Highlands Club on Tuesday (Sept. 19).
The Maize and Blue got off to a slow start in the wet early first round conditions and posted a 296. With a career-low 68 (-4) from Yuqi Liu and even pars by Thomson and Will Anderson, U-M rallied with its fourth sub-par team total of the early season with a 285 (-3) in the second round. A final round 69 (-3) from Thomson and an even par 72 from Ben Hoagland guided the Wolverines to a closing 291 to finish ninth with an 872 54-hole total.
Compiling 12 birdies throughout the weekend, Thomson posted three more rounds at par and better, giving him six straight to start the season. Using four birdies in the first round and three more in the second, he notched back-to-back scores of even-par 72 to position himself in a tie for 36th after the first day.
Coming back for the final round, he used five more birdies to close with a 69 (-3) and jump 18 spots into a tie for 18th with a 213 (-3) total -- his second straight sub-par 54-hole total. Thomson has now opened the season with four of his six rounds under par.
Following an opening 77, Liu rallied in the second round with five birdies and an eagle to etch a new career-low 68 (-4). For the second straight event, he set a new career best after closing the season-opening Island Resort Intercollegiate with his first career sub-70 round (69, -3). With a closing 74, Liu tied for 41st with a 219 (+3) total. With a 219 (+3) total of his own, Anderson joined Liu in a tie for 41st (71-72-76). Rounding out the starting five, Hoagland tied for 59th at 224 (76-76-72), while Jack O'Donnell tied for 70th at 228 (79-73-76).
The Wolverines return to action for their third fall tournament heading to Nashport, Ohio, for Miami's (Ohio) Virtues Intercollegiate, Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 25-26). The two-day, 54-hole event will be played at the Virtues Golf Club.
Final Team Standings
1. Wake Forest 272-283-278 = 833 (-31)
Missouri 278-276-279 = 833
3. Virginia 275-274-285 = 834
4. Duke 278-281-292 = 851
5. College of Charleston 287-282-288 = 857
6. Houston 282-277-300 = 859
7. Rutgers 294-284-282 = 860
8. Indiana 280-284-302 = 866
9. MICHIGAN 296-285-291 = 872
10. Penn State 285-296-292 = 873
Wake Forest (B) 284-291-298 = 873
12. Furman 293-290-291 = 874
13. Yale 293-288-294 = 875
14. Iowa 289-290-298 = 877
15. Maryland 295-292-302 = 889
Top Individuals
1. Michael Brennan, Wake Forest 66 70 68 204 (-12)
2. Jack Lundin, Missouri 68 69 68 205
Bryan Lee, Virginia 68 67 70 205
Zach Reuland, College of Charleston 66 67 72 205
5. Luke Wells, Rutgers 73 67 67 207
Virgilio Paz, Missouri 68 67 72 207
7. Scotty Kennon, Wake Forest 68 72 68 208
8. Charlie Crockett, Missouri 68 71 70 209
Ben James, Virginia 71 65 73 209
Michigan Individuals
T18. Hunter Thomson 72-72-69 = 213 (-3) T41. Yuqi Liu 77-68-74 = 219 T41. Will Anderson 71-72-76 = 219 T59. Ben Hoagland 76-76-72 = 224 T70. Jack O'Donnell 79-73-76 = 228
Players Mentioned
