» Junior Kyle Mueller never trailed in any of his three weekend matches at the Big Ten Match Play, improving to 10-1 all-time in the event.
» Senior Tom Swanson also went 3-0 on the week and clinched the win over Michigan State with his 1-up victory over MSU’s Michael Sharp.
» The Wolverines earned seventh place with their victory over Michigan State as Mueller, Swanson, Nick Carlson and Bryce Evon picked up wins in the match.
» U-M fell to Rutgers, 4-2, in the morning match as Mueller (3 and 2) and Swanson (2 up) picked up points for the Maize and Blue.
Site: Palm Coast, Fla.
Course: Hammock Beach Resort, Conservatory Course (par 72, 7,183 yards)
Tournament: Big Ten Match Play (Day 2 of 2)
U-M Team Standing: 7th Place
Consolation Semifinal: Rutgers 4, Michigan 2
Seventh-Place Match: Michigan 4, Michigan State 2
Next U-M Event: Mon-Tue., Feb. 27-28 — at Southwestern Jones Invitational (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Course: Hammock Beach Resort, Conservatory Course (par 72, 7,183 yards)
Tournament: Big Ten Match Play (Day 2 of 2)
U-M Team Standing: 7th Place
Consolation Semifinal: Rutgers 4, Michigan 2
Seventh-Place Match: Michigan 4, Michigan State 2
Next U-M Event: Mon-Tue., Feb. 27-28 — at Southwestern Jones Invitational (Westlake Village, Calif.)
PALM COAST, Fla. — Junior Kyle Mueller and senior Tom Swanson went 3-0 on the week and Michigan won four matches in the nightcap as the University of Michigan men’s golf team split its matches on the final day of the Big Ten Match Play Saturday (Feb. 11) at Hammock Beach Resort’s Conservatory Course. The Wolverines fell to Rutgers, 4-2, in the morning before rallying to defeat Michigan State, 4-2, in the seventh-place match.
“We had a lot of really close matches this week and came up on the right side of the last one,” U-M head coach Chris Whitten said. “One of the most important things at this tournament is improving from match to match, and I thought we did that.”
Mueller and Swanson completed their perfect weekend in the Michigan State match. Mueller, who is now 10-1 all-time in the tournament, took the lead on the 12th hole, his third of the day, and never looked back. He never trailed in any of his three matches this weekend and defeated MSU’s Kaleb Johnson, 4 and 2. Swanson clinched the win for the Wolverines, as his birdie on the eighth hole, the 17th of the match, gave the senior a 1-up lead with Michigan just needing a half-point for the win. Swanson was 1 down with three holes left, but rallied for wins on seven and eight.
“Kyle was very steady,” Whitten said. “He never gives his opponent a free hole because his ball striking is so solid. He’s always under control and in position. Tom won his matches this week with a lot of clutch shots when he absolutely needed them. He had to come from behind, and he did it with a lot of pressure.”
Sophomore Nick Carlson put the first point on the board for the Maize and Blue against the Spartans. He beat Austin Jenner, 4 and 3, after not playing in the morning due to illness. Carlson lost the first hole of the match but won holes three and four and never trailed to give U-M a point on the board. Senior Bryce Evon rallied for a big point, defeating Charlie Green, 3 and 2. Evon was 2 down through eight holes but squared the match with a par on the course’s fifth hole (the match’s 12th). That jumpstarted a run of three straight holes won by Evon, who closed out the match with a birdie on the par-5 ninth.
“Bryce’s game was really close all week, and I think he finally put it together in the third round,” Whitten said. “He had to come from behind as well, which shows a lot of resolve and patience.”
In the morning, Mueller and Swanson led the Maize and Blue for the second straight match. Mueller defeated Toks Pedro, 3 and 2, never trailing after winning the 12th hole, his third of the day, and standing 4 up after 11 holes. Swanson never trailed in his match against Matthew Walsh, but he had to go the full 18 holes to get the win. Swanson and Walsh halved just four holes in the match, and it was all square for the majority of the front nine. Swanson took the lead with a par on the fourth hole, his 14th of the day, and his par on the last hole, the par-3 eighth, gave the senior the 2-up win.
Rutgers had big wins in three matches, clinching the match by holding the tiebreaker. Evon almost had a huge comeback in his match with Matt Holuta. Evon was 5 down with five holes to play but won the next three to trim Holuta’s lead to 2 up. His goal of a half fell short as Holuta parred the ninth hole at the Conservatory Course for the 3-and-1 win.
“The guys have really worked hard leading up to this event, and now I feel like we will get even more effective work done with some results to evaluate,” Whitten concluded. “We will be excited for Pepperdine and Desert Mountain in a couple of weeks.”
Michigan will begin its Spring Break trip in Westlake Village, California, taking part in the Southwestern Jones Invitational on Feb. 27-28 at North Ranch Country Club.
Big Ten Match Play Results
Semifinals, Saturday (Feb. 11)
Penn State defeats Iowa, 3-3 (PSU wins tiebreaker)
Northwestern defeats Minnesota, 4.5-1.5
Penn State defeats Iowa, 3-3 (PSU wins tiebreaker)
Northwestern defeats Minnesota, 4.5-1.5
Consolation Semifinals, Saturday (Feb. 11)
Purdue defeats Michigan State, 4-2
Rutgers defeats Michigan, 4-2
Purdue defeats Michigan State, 4-2
Rutgers defeats Michigan, 4-2
Round Robin Saturday (Feb. 11)
Indiana defeats Nebraska, 4-2
Ohio State defeats Indiana, 4.5-1.5
Indiana defeats Nebraska, 4-2
Ohio State defeats Indiana, 4.5-1.5
7th Place, Saturday (Feb. 11)
Michigan defeats Michigan State, 4-2
Michigan defeats Michigan State, 4-2
5th Place, Saturday (Feb. 11)
Purdue defeats Rutgers, 4.5-1.5
Purdue defeats Rutgers, 4.5-1.5
3rd Place, Saturday (Feb. 11)
Minnesota defeats Iowa, 3.5-2.5
Minnesota defeats Iowa, 3.5-2.5
Championship, Saturday (Feb. 11)
Northwestern defeats Penn State, 3.5-2.5
Northwestern defeats Penn State, 3.5-2.5
U-M Consolation Semifinal vs. Rutgers
Tony Jiang (RUT) defeats Ian Kim (MICH), 2 & 1
Adam Gray (RUT) defeats Taisei Negishi (MICH), 6 & 4
Tom Swanson (MICH) defeats Matthew Walsh (RUT), 2-up
Matthew Mourin (RUT) defeats Reed Hrynewich, 4 & 2
Kyle Mueller (MICH) defeats Toks Pedro (RUT), 3 & 2
Matt Holuta (RUT) defeats Bryce Evon (MICH), 3 & 1
Tony Jiang (RUT) defeats Ian Kim (MICH), 2 & 1
Adam Gray (RUT) defeats Taisei Negishi (MICH), 6 & 4
Tom Swanson (MICH) defeats Matthew Walsh (RUT), 2-up
Matthew Mourin (RUT) defeats Reed Hrynewich, 4 & 2
Kyle Mueller (MICH) defeats Toks Pedro (RUT), 3 & 2
Matt Holuta (RUT) defeats Bryce Evon (MICH), 3 & 1
U-M Seventh-Place Match vs. Michigan State
Charlie Netzel (MSU) defeats Reed Hrynewich (MICH), 5 & 4
Kyle Mueller (MICH) defeats Kaleb Johnson (MSU), 4 & 2
Tom Swanson (MICH) defeats Michael Sharp (MSU), 1-up
Nick Carlson (MICH) defeats Austin Jenner (MSU), 4 & 3
Andrew Walker (MSU) defeats Ian Kim (MICH), 6 & 5
Bryce Evon (MICH) defeats Charlie Green (MSU), 3 & 2
Charlie Netzel (MSU) defeats Reed Hrynewich (MICH), 5 & 4
Kyle Mueller (MICH) defeats Kaleb Johnson (MSU), 4 & 2
Tom Swanson (MICH) defeats Michael Sharp (MSU), 1-up
Nick Carlson (MICH) defeats Austin Jenner (MSU), 4 & 3
Andrew Walker (MSU) defeats Ian Kim (MICH), 6 & 5
Bryce Evon (MICH) defeats Charlie Green (MSU), 3 & 2
2017 B1G Match Play Records
Tom Swanson (3-0-0)
Kyle Mueller (3-0-0)
Nick Carlson (1-0-1)
Bryce Evon (1-2-0)
Tom Swanson (3-0-0)
Kyle Mueller (3-0-0)
Nick Carlson (1-0-1)
Bryce Evon (1-2-0)
