What You Need to Know

» In his first U-M event after transferring from Idaho, Ian Kim topped Nick Carlson for medalist honors, giving U-M a 1-2 finish. It is Kim’s first career collegiate victory. 
» The Wolverines, who placed three among the top 10, have had three individual winners in their four fall events.
» With its 580 (284-296) total, U-M won its first team title at the Dayton Flyer Invitational by eight shots. 
» U-M’s team title is the third top-three finish of the fall, fourth title under U-M head coach Chris Whitten and 46th in U-M history.

Site: Kettering, Ohio
Course: NCR Country Club (Par 71, 7,048 yards)
Tournament: Dayton Flyer Invitational
U-M Team Standing: 1st Place of 18 Teams (284-296/580)
Top U-M Individual: Ian Kim (70-72) & Nick Carlson (70-72), tie-1st (142, E), Kim won playoff for title
Next U-M Event: Mon-Tue., Oct. 24-25 — at Royal Oaks Intercollegiate (Dallas, Texas)

KETTERING, Ohio — Making his U-M debut, junior Ian Kim shot par to top sophomore Nick Carlson on the first playoff hole for medalist honors at Dayton’s Flyer Invitational, helping the University of Michigan men’s golf team sweep the titles today (Tuesday, Oct. 18) with a 1-2 individual finish as well as an eight-shot team victory following a 580 team tally at the NCR Country Club.

In his U-M debut after transferring from Idaho this past summer, Kim and Carlson each posted 70s (-1) in yesterday’s (Monday, Oct. 17) opening round to not only lead U-M but put themselves atop the leaderboard with two others. After separating themselves in today’s final round, the duo were in a scoreboard battle to see which Wolverine would claim the medalist trophy.

Both bogeyed Nos. 17 and 18 and closed regulation tied at even-par 142 after closing with 72s. After already winning the team title by eight shots, the duo headed to the first tee — a par 4, 450 yard hole — for a medalist playoff.

Following a pair of huge drives, Carlson’s approach found the front green-side bunker, while Kim flew the just over the green. Carlson’s bunker shot landed eight feet out, and Kim’s chip rolled to a little more than a foot and a half away. Needing to sink the putt, Carlson came up just short, and Kim tapped in to win the playoff.

“To get back out there was so much fun,” said Kim. “You don’t realize how much you actually love competing until you don’t. Winning individually was awesome, but it’s just a byproduct of me trying my best to get the team win. Coach Whitten followed me around the whole first round, so I had someone to go over my yardages and targets with, which was a ton of help.

“Playing against Nick in the playoff was a lot of fun,” added Kim. “We had already won as a team so we both thought winning the playoff was a bonus. Nick and all of the other guys were very happy for me when I won, and I felt very welcomed and accepted.”

“Ian played a really solid event, and I’m happy for him,” said Carlson. “It’s not often do you have to play a teammate for an individual title. We both enjoyed it actually.”

“For Ian to win the playoff and take the trophy in his first start for Michigan was pretty incredible,” said U-M head coach Chris Whitten. “I know all of the guys were fired up for him this week. He’s been so patient this fall and really impressed everybody at this tournament.”

In addition to U-M getting a 1-2 individual, the Maize and Blue added a tie for fifth from junior Kyle Mueller (71-75/146) to help U-M garner the team title by eight shots with a 580 total. In fact, U-M saw all five starters close among the top 25 as seniors Reed Hrynewich (73-78) and Bryce Evon (74-77) tied for 21st at 151.

“I was really proud of the guys this week,” said Whitten. “This was our first visit to NCR and it really is a great test. We played the front nine especially well which gave us a little bit of breathing room on the back nine. It always feels great to win events and we will take the momentum for sure.

“All of the guys had stretches of great play in tough conditions this week, but Ian (Kim) and Nick (Carlson) were incredibly consistent,” added Whitten. “I was most proud of their saves when they were out of position to keep momentum going. This course required a lot of game planning, smart shots and discipline and they had that.”

“The golf course played tough both days,” said Carlson. “The wind was up and the greens were extremely firm. The challenge for me today was getting some bad breaks and weird lies. It’s just golf and it happens.

With four fall events in the books, the Wolverines will finish the first half the season heading to Dallas, Texas, for Baylor’s Royal Oaks Intercollegiate, Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 24-25. The two-day, 54-hole event will be held at the Royal Oaks Country Club. Last year’s event was cancelled due to the effects from Hurricane Patricia.

“We’re all really looking forward to next week because Royal Oak has firm greens so this was good preparation for it,” said Carlson. “The team is going to take all the positives we can from this and have some momentum going into next week.”

Final Team Standings

1. MICHIGAN, 284-296 = 580
2. Dayton, 289-299 = 588
3. Oakland, 307-297 = 604
4. Butler, 311-295 = 606
T5. Fort Wayne, 303-305 = 608
T5. Miami (Ohio), 300-308 = 608
T5. Detroit, 306-302 = 608
8. Morehead State, 301-308 = 609
9. Loyola-Chicago, 304-306 = 610
10. Wright State, 305-306 = 611
11. St. Bonaventure, 306-307 = 613
12. Columbia, 314-300 = 614
13. Evansville, 305-311 = 616
14. Northern Kentucky, 306-312 = 618
15. Robert Morris, 313-306 = 619
16. Valparaiso, 315-306 = 621
17. IUPUI, 310-312 = 622
18. Youngstown State, 312-313 = 625

Top Individuals

T1. IAN KIM (U-M), 70-72 = 142 (E)#
T1. NICK CARLSON (U-M), 70-72 = 142
3. Nick Paxson (Dayton), 70-73 = 143
4. Orion Yamat (Loyola-Chicago), 73-72 = 145
T5. KYLE MUELLER (U-M), 71-75 = 146
T5. Brendan Keating (Dayton), 70-76 = 146
T5. Patrick Flavin (Miami, Ohio), 73-73 = 146
T5. Keegan Bronnenberg (Fort Wayne), 72-74 = 146
T9. Matt Abendroth (St. Bonaventure), 74-73 = 147
T9. Ryan Wenzler (Wright State), 74-73 = 147

# won medalist honor in playoff

Other Michigan Individuals

T21. Reed Hrynewich, 73-78 = 151
T21. Bryce Evon, 74-77 = 151
T82. Taisei Negishi, 80-79 = 159*

* played as individual