Michigan
Wolverine South Invitational
Medalist Chapman Leads U-M to Wolverine South Title
3/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Site: Savannah, Ga.
Course: Hunter Golf Club (par 72, 6,863 yards)
Tournament: Wolverine South Invitational
U-M Finish: 1st Place of 15 Teams (297-284/581)
Top U-M Individual: Andrew Chapman, 1st (72-69/141)
Next U-M Event: Sat-Sun., Mar. 17-18 -- at El Diablo Intercollegiate (Citrus Springs, Fla.)
SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Junior Andrew Chapman (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) tied the Hunter Golf Course record with a 69 in the second round on the way to earning his first career individual title at the Wolverine South Invitational today (Sunday, March 4). His two-round score of 141 helped the University of Michigan men's golf team capture the team championship in the rain-shortened tournament. The Wolverines shot a season-low four-under 284 in the second round to move ahead of the pack in their first tournament of the 2001 spring season.
After two weather delays Saturday, darkness forced the players to finish the second round today. Plans to play the final round after finishing the remaining holes from Saturday were scrapped after rain caused a delay in the start this morning.
Despite the weather disruptions, Michigan put together its best round of the 2000-01 season, shooting a four-under 284 in the second round and breaking away from a three-way tie for the lead after 18 holes. In addition to Chapman's record-tying score, junior Andy Matthews (Ada, Mich./Forest Hills Central HS) shot a one-under 71 in the second round to finish third with 143 total strokes.
Also adding to the team score for the Wolverines were fifth-year senior Scott Hayes (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester HS), redshirt freshman Scott Carlton (Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS) and senior/junior Kyle Kilcherman (Traverse City, Mich./Central HS). All three finished tied for 15th after shooting 150 for the pair of rounds.
After tying for first with Michigan after the first round, West Florida and Methodist College finished second and third, respectively. Last year's medalist, Chad Collins of Methodist, finished second this season with a two-round total of 142 (72-70). During the 2000 Wolverine South Invitational, Collins set the course record which Chapman tied today.
Playing as individuals for the Wolverines, freshman Dave Nichols (Rochester, Mich./Adams HS) tied for 24th (76-76=152), redshirt freshman Chris Kellogg (Traverse City, Mich./Central HS) finished 69th (82-81=163), senior Kevin Hinton (Port Huron, Mich./Northern HS) tied for 76th (88-82=170), and senior/junior Brian Seipke (Traverse City, Mich./West HS) tied for 79th (86-88=174).
The Wolverines will continue their spring season in two weeks when they head to Citrus Springs, Fla., to participate in the El Diablo Intercollegiate (March 17-18) at the El Diablo Golf Club.
Final Team Standings
1. MICHIGAN 297-284 = 581 (+5)
2. West Florida 297-290 = 587
3. Methodist College 297-295 = 592
4. North Carolina-Wilmington 300-299 = 599
5. North Carolina-Greensboro 301-299 = 600
6. Eastern Kentucky 311-298 = 609
7. Armstrong Atlantic 313-305 = 618
8. South Carolina-Aiken 309-310 = 619
9. Ball State 312-311 = 623
St. John's 314-309 = 623
11. James Madison 317-308 = 625
12. Ohio University 314-314 = 628
13. Bowling Green State 313-317 = 630
14. Tennessee-Chattanooga 321-310 = 631
15. Wright State 322-310 = 632
Top Individuals
1. Andrew Chapman, U-M 72-69 = 141 (-3) 2. Chad Collins, Methodist 72-70 = 142 3. Andy Matthews, U-M 72-71 = 143 4. Jered Gusso, Methodist 71-74 = 145 Bryan Clarke, West Florida 70-75 = 145 6. Alex Smith, West Florida 74-73 = 147 7. Jesse Fitzgerald, St John's 75-73 = 148 William Pollert, Ball State 73-75 = 148 Adam Gee, UNC-Wilmington 74-74 = 148 10. Brad Morris, Eastern Kentucky 76-73 = 149 Joe Christianson, West Florida 76-73 = 149 Sean Dougherty, UNC-Wilmington 75-74 = 149 Stephen Genchi, West Florida 78-71 = 149 John Hancock, UNC-Greensboro 73-76 = 149
Other Michigan Scores
T15. Scott Hayes 78-72 = 150 T15. Scott Carlton 78-72 = 150 T15. Kyle Kilcherman 75-75 = 150 T24. Dave Nichols* 76-76 = 152 69. Chris Kellogg* 82-81 = 163 T76. Kevin Hinton* 88-82 = 170 T79. Brian Seipke* 86-88 = 174
* competed as individuals
NOTES
• With the win at the Wolverine South Invitational, junior Andrew Chapman won the first individual medalist honors of his Michigan career. His previous best tournament was a fourth-place finish at the 2000 Wolverine South Invitational (March 4-5, 2000) and a tie for fourth at the Marshall Invitational (April 9-10, 2000).
• The team title gives the Wolverines their first tournament title of the 2000-01 season. Last season, the Maize and Blue claimed victory in two tournaments -- the Marshall Invitational (April 7-8, 2000) and the Xavier Invitational (Oct. 11-12, 1999).
• Andrew Chapman became the second Wolverine this season to win his first career individual title. Fifth-year senior Scott Hayes claimed his first medalist honors at the Inverness Intercollegiate (Sept. 18-19, 2000). Interestingly, the titles came in the first tournament of the fall and spring seasons -- Chapman's title today opens the spring season while Hayes' title opened the fall season.
• Andrew Chapman's final round of 69 was a career best and marked the first time he has broken the 70-stroke barrier in his Michigan career. He has shot 70 four times as a Wolverine.
• Junior Andy Matthews' third-place individual finish was a career best. His previous best finish was a tie for seventh at the Xavier Invitational (Oct. 11-12, 1999).
• Redshirt junior Kyle Kilcherman fired back-to-back rounds of 75, both of which tied his season-best round score.
• The Wolverines have finished in the top five as a team in four of their six tournaments this season. U-M finished first at the Wolverine South Invitational (March 3-4, 2001), third at the Xavier Invitational (Oct. 9-10, 2000), tied for third at the Northern Intercollegiate (Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2000) and fourth at the Wolverine North Invitational (Sept. 23-24, 2000).
• Michigan's second-round team total of 284 was a season best. The Wolverines' prior best was a 285 shot in the first round of the Xavier Invitational (Oct. 9-10, 2000).
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Jim Carras
On the win ... "I am extremely pleased and surprised with the outcome, especially with our scores in the second round. To shoot four-under considering the course and the weather really says a lot about the kids. We didn't play very well this week, but they really put everything together this weekend. Anytime you shoot under par on this course, it means you're playing very well. Andrew (Chapman) played very well, but this win is a credit to all the guys. It took the entire team playing well to win this tournament."
On the rest of the season ... "Well, with success comes expectation. That's a lot of pressure for the rest of the season. We may not win them all, but this is a great, great foundation for the rest of the spring."
Michigan Junior Andrew Chapman
On the individual win ... "It was a great surprise. I've really worked hard and long for this, and it feels great. Hunter (Golf Course) has been good to me over the last few years, and I'm very appreciative of that."
On the rain delays ... "It really wasn't that bad. The guys here at the course made it really easy to handle. Whenever it started raining, they were right there with carts to bring us in. They made it very painless. Delays don't really have any affect on my game. I am able to put things out of my mind until I get back on the course."
On the team's win ... "It was great. We have some new additions to the team this year, so that just made it better. To open the season this way is great. I don't think [coach Jim Carras] could be any happier right now."
Players Mentioned
