By Roy J. Akers-www.skyviewsports.net
College golf has started for both men and women and huge tournaments with the best teams and players from all over the country. We will preview the Folds of Honor with several big schools including host Michigan State in another story.
Michigan Women-Thomson Leads U-M, Muratore Shines at Inverness Intercollegiate
Site: Toledo, Ohio
Tournament: Inverness Intercollegiate
Course: Inverness Club (par 69, 6,972 yards)
U-M Finish: 14th Place of 14 Teams (293-290-290/873)
Top U-M Individual: Hunter Thomson, tie-43rd (73-69-73/215)
Next U-M Event: Mon-Tue., Sept. 16-17 — at Canadian Collegiate Invitational (MacTier, Ontario)
TOLEDO, Ohio — In its second of five September events, the University of Michigan men’s golf team posted a second straight 290 team total in Tuesday’s (Sept. 10) final round to tally an 873 54-hole total and close 14th at the Inverness Intercollegiate played at the famed Inverness Club.
Heading 65 miles south to Toledo, the Wolverines knew the challenge ahead of them playing in a 14-team field that featured nine preseason top-40 programs, five among the top 25 and the defending national champion and No. 1-ranked Auburn.
With opening 72s (+3) from senior Yuqi Liuand freshman RJ Arone, the Maize and Blue notched an opening 293 in the windy Monday conditions. Heading back out for the day’s second 18, a 69 (E) from senior Hunter Thomson and 72s from Liu and fifth-year senior Ben Hoagland, U-M improved with a 290-team total, however, closed the day 14th.
Returning Tuesday morning, the Wolverines etched a second straight 290 team total as redshirt-freshman Caden Pinckes utilized three birdies in his final 18 to post a career-low 70 (+1) to pace U-M’s final round. Adding in 73s from Thomson and Liu, the Maize and Blue tallied an 873 total for a 14th-place finish.
For the 25th time in his career, Thomson led the Wolverines’ starting five as he tied for 43rd with a 215 (73-69-73) 54-hole total. Liu was two shots back of Thomson as Liu tied for 59th with his 217 (72-72-73).
Playing as an individual, freshman Dean Muratore used a U-M tournament-best 67 (-2) in the second round to help him record an early career-best 213 54-hole total and tie for 33rd. After opening with a 76, he used an eagle, three birdies and a highlight-reel 60-foot putt to post the career-low 67. With a pair of birdies and 13 pars, he closed with a 70 (+1) to aid his new career low.
The Wolverines are right back to action next Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 16-17) as they head to MacTier, Ontario, for the first-ever collegiate tournament held in Canada — the Canadian Collegiate Invitational. Hosted by Golf Canada and Kent State, the two-day, 54-hole event is scheduled to be played at the Oviinbyrd Golf Club.
Final Team Standings
1. Virginia 282-274-270 = 826 (-2) 2. Auburn 271-277-282 = 830 3. Oklahoma 281-273-277 = 831 Vanderbilt 279-281-271 = 831 5. Texas Tech 278-275-280 = 833 6. SMU 277-283-280 = 840 7. College of Charleston 280-285-276 = 841 8. Wake Forest 290-281-279 = 850 9. Toledo 293-278-280 = 851 10. Purdue 288-283-281 = 852 11. Louisville 289-285-286 = 860 12. Clemson 287-284-290 = 861 13. Cal Poly 300-277-285 = 862 14. MICHIGAN 293-290-290 = 873
Top Individuals
1. Jackson Koivun, Auburn 63-65-70 = 198 (-9) 2. Enrique Dimayuga, SMU 64-72-64 = 200 3. Ben James, Virginia 68-68-66 = 202 Kieron van Wyk, College of Charleston 70-67-65 = 202 5. Tim Wiedemeyer, Texas Tech 71-66-66 = 203 6. Jackson Van Paris, Vanderbilt 66-70-68 = 204 7. John Broderick, Vanderbilt 69-68-68 = 205 Bryan Lee, Virginia 71-64-70 = 205 Drew Goodman, Oklahoma 66-69-70 = 205 Ben Gregg, Texas Tech 69-70-66 = 205*.
Michigan Individuals
T43. Hunter Thomson 73-69-73 = 215 (+8)
T59. Yuqi Liu 72-72-73 = 217
T79. Caden Pinckes 76-77-70 = 223
T82. Ben Hoagland 77-72-75 = 224
T82. RJ Arone 72-78-74 = 224
T33. Dean Muratore 76-67-70 = 213*
* played as individual
Eastern Michigan-Men- Chan Leads Eastern Golf to Strong Start in Arizona
Senior tied for eighth at 5-under as EMU placed fifth as a team
MARICOPA, Ariz. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men’s golf team opened its 2024-25 campaign at the Southern Dunes Invitational Monday-Tuesday, Sept. 9-10, with the Eagles placing fifth overall in the eight-team event hosted by the University of Southern California at the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Course in Maricopa, Ariz., just outside Phoenix. Seven players made their debuts for the Eagles under first-year Head Coach Andy Walker, including Tim Chan (Hong Kong, China/Loretto School/New Mexico JC/VCU), who led the charge by carding a 5-under, 211 to tie for eighth place.
How It Happened
Eastern opened the tournament firing 2-over (290) in the first round before rebounding to combine to shoot a 7-under (281) in the second round, moving from a tie for seventh place up to a tie for third with the University of San Diego. In the final round, played Sept. 10, Eastern shot 2-under (286) to finish fifth overall at 7-under (857). The host Trojans of USC won the team event at 28-under (836) with Grand Canyon University (843) second at 21-under and Fresno State University (854) third at 10-under. The Toreros of USD finished fourth at nine-under (855) with Georgia State University (5-under, 859), Kansas State University (1-under, 863), and Kennesaw State University (1-over, 865) rounding out the field.
Individually, Chan was the top finisher for Eastern as he carded a 5-under (211) by shooting rounds of 71-70-70, making him the lone Eagle to break par in all three rounds. Freshman James Baxter (London, England/Highlands School & Sixth Form) was just behind as he tied for 12th in his collegiate debut at 3-under (213). Baxter carded the two lowest rounds of the tournament for Eastern as he shot 68 in the second round before closing the tournament with a 69.
A pair of seniors were next in line for Eastern with Bavake Sihota (Caledon, Ontario/Independent Learning Center/Michigan) tied for 35th with a 3-over (219) while Daniel Robles Delval (Albacete, Spain/Escuela Nacional Blume/Rogers State) was tied for 37th at 4-over (220). The final member of the team was Lucas Hughes (Bend, Ore./Central Christian/Grand Canyon), who tied for 52nd (228).
Eastern also had two individuals playing the tournament, including Matthew Rastogi (Toronto, Ontario/Bayview Glen Independent) and Pietro Fenoglio (Torino, Italy/Liceo Amerigo Vespucci/TCU). Rastogi, a freshman, finished tied for 32nd at 2-over (218) in his collegiate debut while Fenoglio shot 9-over (225) to place 49th.
Historical Notes
» Eastern’s 857 strokes in the tournament tied for the 13th-lowest in program history and just two off the low total for all of last season. Last year, the Eagles shot a season-best 855 at the River Run Collegiate, Sept. 11-12, in their season opener.
» The 281 the team carded in the second round tied for the 24th-lowest score in program history.
» Tim Chan‘s score of 211 ranks as the third-lowest score in his collegiate career. He fired a 208 in the 2024 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional (May 13-15, 2024) and a 209 at the Hal Williams Collegiate (Feb. 13-14, 2023) for VCU.
» Bavake Sihota carded a 219 total, which tied for his second-lowest collegiate round. His lowest is the 218 he shot for Michigan at Island Resort Invitational (Sept. 4-5, 2022) and ties with the 219 he shot at the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate (April 23-24, 2022).
» Lucas Hughes played in his 13th collegiate event, but his first three-round tournament. The past two years, he played for the club team at GCU and competed in 12 events that all were just two rounds.
Up Next
The Eagles return to action with a trip to Albuquerque, N.M., for the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate, Sept. 20-21. The two-day event will be hosted by the University of New Mexico and take place on the UNM Championship Golf Course.
Results
Southern Dunes Intercollegiate
Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Course • Maricopa, Ariz.
Monday, Sept. 9-Tuesday, Sept. 10
Team Standings
1. USC – 279-273-284=836 (-28)
2. Grand Canyon – 279-286-278=843 (-21)
3. Fresno State – 276-296-282=854 (-10)
4. San Diego – 288-283-284=855 (-9)
5. Eastern Michigan – 290-281-286=857 (-7)
6. Georgia State – 289-288-282=859 (-5)
7. Kansas State – 287-289-287=863 (-1)
8. Kennesaw State – 290-289-286=865 (+1)
Individual Results (Top 5 + EMU)
1. Chris Bettencourt (FSU) – 68-67-68=203 (-13)
2. Gavin Aurilia (USC) – 69-65-73=207 (-9)
3. Nixon Lauritzen (GCU) – 63-73-72=208 (-8)
t4. You Choi (USD) – 71-72-67=210 (-6)
t4. Gavin O’Neill (GCU) – 71-68-71=210 (-6)
t4. Joseph Lloyd (FSU) – 66-73-71=210 (-6)
t4. Ryan Abuan (USD) – 70-66-74=210 (-6)
———————————————————————
t8. Tim Chan (EMU) – 71-70-70=211 (-5)
t12. James Baxter (EMU) – 76-68-69=213 (-3)
t32. Matthew Rastogi (EMU) * – 74-70-74=218 (+2)
t35. Bavake Sihota (EMU) – 75-71-73=219 (+3)
t37. Daniel Robles Delval (EMU) – 71-72-77=220 (+4)
49. Pietro Fenoglio (EMU) * – 77-74-74=225 (+9)
t52. Lucas Hughes (EMU) – 73-81-74=228 (+12)
* played as an individual