UM -Thomson, Wolverines Close Buckeye Classic as Runners-Up/ Bowling Green Men Finish T-10th
By UM Golf with… Roy J. Akers- Sky View Sports
Team Standings/ Individual Standings below Story
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Utilizing three top-10 individual finishes, the University of Michigan men’s golf team tallied a final-round 286 (-2) to post an 847 (-17) 54-hole total Saturday (April 12) and a runner-up finish at the Buckeye Classic at the Columbus Country Club.
Ohio State’s spring event replaced Indiana’s Hoosier Collegiate, which was canceled due to weather conditions last weekend.
Who Mastered the Par 3-4-5’s?
Using the added event, the Wolverines used three top-10 finishes to earn their seventh top-five finish in 10 events and second runner-up trophy. Michigan opened with tallies of 283 (-5) and 278 (-10) to lead the field (561, -15) by three shots over host Ohio State (564, -12) after 36 holes. The Maize and Blue closed with a 286 (-2), but the Buckeyes rallied with a 282 (-6) to win its spring event by a single stroke — 846 (-18) to 847 (-17).
With his fourth straight tournament and seventh overall this season, senior Hunter Thomson‘s 207 (-9) led the Wolverines for the ninth time as he earned a runner-up finish for the third time this season. Opening with rounds of 67 (-5) and 68 (-4) on Friday’s first day, Thomson finished the first 36 holes atop the leaderboard at 135 (-9). With an even-par 72, he slipped one spot as Kent State’s Jordan Gilkison used a closing 68 (-4) to take medalist honors (205, -11).
Behind Thomson, senior Yuqi Liu used three sub-par tallies to earn his second top-five finish of the season as he tied for fourth at 210 (-6; 70-71-69). Freshman Dean Muratore‘s 214 (-2) helped him tie for 10th — his second top 10 of the season — and give him four top-12 finishes in his last six events.
After the replacement event in Columbus, the Wolverines close their regular season staying in Big Ten country in West Lafayette, Ind., for Purdue’s Boilermaker Spring Invitational on Saturday and Sunday (April 19-2) at the Ackerman-Allen Golf Course.
Bowling Green finishes T-10
The Bowling Green State University men’s golf team competed in the Buckeye Classic this weekend at Columbus Country Club, a par-72 course playing at 7,077 yards. The 54-hole event featured 36 holes of play on Friday followed by the final round on Saturday in Columbus.
Host Ohio State won the event by one stroke over Michigan (846 to 847).
The Falcons were led by graduate Evan Johnson, who turned in a steady three-round performance of 220 (+4) with rounds of 74-73-73 to finish tied for 30th. Senior Darin Hudak posted the team’s low round of the week with an opening 71 (-1) on Friday morning and ended the tournament tied for 34th at 221 (+5).
Senior Luke Evans bounced back with rounds of 72 (E) and 74 (+2) to finish T-47 at 223 (+7), while senior Zander Gibson (232, T-69) and freshman Brayden Larson (234, T-73) rounded out the lineup for BGSU.
Final Team Standings
1. Ohio State 287-277-282 = 846 (-18) 2. MICHIGAN 283-278-286 = 847 3. Miami (Ohio) 286-279-284 = 849 4. Kent State 292-282-281 = 855 5. Eastern Kentucky 287-289-287 = 863 6. Ohio 292-291-292 = 875 7. Robert Morris 292-297-289 = 878 Dayton 298-296-296 = 878 9. Abilene Christian 292-297-294 = 883 10. Bowling Green 299-295-300 = 894 Purdue Fort Wayne 295-304-295 = 894 12. Colgate 302-297-296 = 895 13. Le Moyne 302-295-310 = 907
Top Individuals
1. Jordan Gilkison, Kent State 70-67-68 = 205 (-11) 2. HUNTER THOMSON, U-M 67-68-72 = 207 3. Morgan Blythe, Miami (Ohio) 71-67-71 = 209 4. YUQI LIU, U-M 70-71-69 = 210 Michael Weber, Miami (Ohio) 72-67-71 = 210 Vaughn Harber, Ohio State 70-68-72 = 210 7. Jack Vojtko, Ohio State 71-69-71 = 211 8. Zach Watterson, Eastern Kentucky 72-68-72 = 212 9. Ramiro Acevedo, Kent State 77-70-66 = 213 10. DEAN MURATORE, U-M 72-70-72 = 214 Tanner Cardwell, Robert Morris 68-77-69 = 214 Brett Podobinski, Miami (Ohio) 71-75-69 = 214
Michigan Individuals
2. Hunter Thomson 67-68-72 = 207 (-9)
T4. Yuqi Liu 70-71-69 = 210 (-6)
T10. Dean Muratore 72-70-72 = 214 (-2)
T28. RJ Arone 77-69-73 = 219
T47. Ben Hoagland 74-74-75 = 223
T57. Jack O'Donnell 75-79-73 = 227*
* played as individual
Roy J. Akers covers PGA/LPGA/LIV/ Collegiate and Top Amateur Golf and drones golf courses.
