Michigan
Wolf Run Intercollegiate
Trio in Top 10 Leads U-M to Season-Opening Win at Wolf Run
9/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Site: Zionsville, Ind.
Course: Wolf Run Country Club (par 72, 7,465 yards)
Tournament: Wolf Run Intercollegiate
U-M Standing: 1st Place of 14 Teams (286-294-300/880)
Top U-M Individual: Bill Rankin, 4th (70-72-76/218)
Next Event: Sat-Sun., Sept. 20-21 -- host, Wolverine Intercollegiate (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
ZIONSVILLE, Ind. -- Battling high winds and rain from a weakening Hurricane Ike, the University of Michigan men's golf team opened its season in grand fashion today (Sept. 14), winning the 2008 Wolf Run Intercollegiate by a 10-stroke margin at the Wolf Run Country Club.
With poor weather conditions expected throughout the weekend, the Wolverines caught a break during the first 18 holes on Saturday (Sept. 13) as the sun peeked through the gray skies, raising temperatures to near 80 degrees. With a two-under 70 from both senior co-captains Bill Rankin (Traverse City, Mich./Central HS) and Nick Pumford (St. Charles, Mich./St. Charles HS) and a career-best even-par 72 from junior Ross Millman (St. Louis, Mo./Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day), the Maize and Blue took full advantage of the good weather, posting a two-under 286 team total to jump out to an eight-shot tournament lead.
With the wind gusting upwards to 10-15 miles per hour in the second round, sophomore Lion Kim (Lake Mary, Fla./Lake Mary Prep) led the way, posting a two-under 70 of his own while Rankin had an even-par 72 as the Wolverines followed with a 294 total. With that tally, U-M's lead shrank to just three -- at 580 -- after Louisville (583) posted a three-under 285 in the second round to cut into the Wolverine lead.
With rain and winds dampening the course in the final round, the Wolverines used a two-over 74 from Pumford and 75s from both Kim and sophomore Alexander Sitompul (Jakarta, Indonesia/Bradenton Prep) to tally a 300 today to close with a 10-stroke victory with an 880 54-hole total. Illinois had a strong final-round push but was unable to make up the deficit as the Fighting Illini closed as the runner-up with an 890 total. Louisville's 308 final round dropped the Cardinals to third with a 891 total.
With the tournament win at the Wolf Run, U-M opened with an event trophy for the second straight season. Last season, the Wolverines opened the season by winning the Purdue Midwest Shootout.
En route to the win, the Wolverines placed three among the top 10. Rankin led the way with a fourth-place finish (218, 70-72-76). Kim was just behind in fifth (219, 74-70-75), while Pumford tied for seventh (221, 70-77-74). Both Sitompul (75-76-75) and Millman (72-76-78), who started his first career event, tied for 24th at 226. Freshman Alex Frankel (Atlanta, Ga./Lovett School) played in his first collegiate event as an individual, tying for 42nd with a 232 total (76-75-81).
With the first tournament in the books, the Wolverines will host the 2008 Wolverine Intercollegiate next Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20-21, at the U-M Golf Course. There will be 16 teams in the field, playing 54 holes in the two-day tournament.
Team Standings
1. MICHIGAN 286-294-300 = 880 2. Illinois 298-298-294 = 890 3. Louisville 298-285-308 = 891 4. Kentucky 298-293-304 = 895 5. Indiana 296-300-300 = 896 6. Ball State 294-308-295 = 897 7. Eastern Michigan 309-289-301 = 899 8. Purdue 309-291-300 = 900 9. Missouri 302-295-306 = 903 10. Kent State 296-303-305 = 904 11. North Florida 307-307-297 = 911 12. Toledo 301-317-319 = 937 13. IUPUI 316-309-318 = 943 14. Princeton 329-320-332 = 981
Top Individuals
1. Jorge Campillo, Indiana 70-70-72 = 212
2. Andy Winings, Kentucky 74-69-71 = 214
Peter Malnati, Missouri 73-70-71 = 214
4. BILL RANKIN, U-M 70-72-76 = 218
5. LION KIM, U-M 74-70-75 = 219
6. Andrew Rhodes, Ball State 72-75-73 = 220
7. NICK PUMFORD, U-M 70-77-74 = 221
Tom Oliver, Purdue 75-71-75 = 221
9. Scott Langley, Illinois 73-80-69 = 222
John Hahn, Kent State 72-79-71 = 222
J.C.Horne, North Florida 75-74-73 = 222
Adam Hadwin, Louisville 73-69-80 = 222
Ben Fuqua, Kentucky 74-73-75 = 222
Other Michigan Individuals
T24. Alexander Sitompul 75-76-75 = 226 T24. Ross Millman 72-76-78 = 226 T42. Alex Frankel 76-75-81 = 232*
* played as individual
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Andrew Sapp
On opening the season with a win ... "It was our goal to come in and win this tournament. We came so close last year, it slipped through our fingers. The nice thing about this year was we had contributions from every single player. We had some big time play from everyone. From Ross (Millman) shooting a 72 in the first round to Lion's (Kim) 70 in the second round and Nick's (Pumford) 74 in the rainy final round. Everyone played well. Having three guys finish in the top 10 just really shows the depth of this team. It just shows we had a lot of guys play some solid golf. They were able to grind it out today and yesterday afternoon in bad weather conditions so I am pleased to start the season off with a win. We beat a bunch of good teams and some other Big Ten foes. We are looking forward to keeping it up when we tee it up on our course next week."
On using the fast start and 286 first-round tally to U-M's advantage ... "It's definitely a situation where you say you cannot win a tournament in the first round, but we kind of did. Usually, that is not the case but we were able to start with such a spectacular round and get out to a lead. I would not say we held on because we ended up winning by 10, so we still played better than the rest of the field the rest of the time. Having that lead was a good way for us to begin the tournament with confidence. It was ours to win if we play solid golf and we did. Anytime you have a lead and finish it off, even increase it, makes you feel good."
U-M Senior Bill Rankin
On the team combining together for the victory ... "It was impressive to have everyone play well. In the first round, Alexander (Sitompul) really did not play as well as he wanted, but we were still able to come away with a great round. After qualifying, he really kicked our butts and when he came out and really did not have it that day it was really good for the rest of us to step up and really play well. Alex is such a talented player, but it really speaks volumes of this team and what we can do when one of us is down. This was the first time we have seen Ross (Millman) in the lineup and he contributed greatly in the first round and really kept it going. It was just nice to see everyone put up at least one good round on such a tough golf course."
On maintaining focus during the bad weather over the final 18 holes ... "You know, guys were really surprised the first day it didn't rain. We had our rain suits, our umbrellas and it just did not happen. We were fortunate. We took it one hole at a time. Really, we took it one hole at a time in good weather. Today, it was a lot different. The course was so wet coming into the round, but the rain really only hit us hard for 20 minutes and we got pulled off the course. When we came back out the wind really picked up, but we have been through this before and it is something that everyone is used to. It was not the worst we have ever seen, but we played well under the pressure of it to maintain the lead and come away with the win. That is the most important thing."
NOTES
• Ross Millman started his first collegiate event at the Wolf Run Intercollegiate. Prior to that event, he had played in just two events over his first two seasons as an individual.
• With his first-round even-par 72, Ross Millman set a new career best for a single round tournament score. His prior best was a 74 in the third round of the 2007 Wolverine at Mission Inn. In addition, Millman also set a new 54-hole tournament best, closing with a 226 (72-76-78) at Wolf Run to top the 230 he had at the 2007 Wolverine.
• Alex Frankel made his collegiate debut at the Wolf Run Intercollegiate, playing as an individual. He is one of two freshmen on the Wolverine squad.
• With his start at the Wolf Run Intercollegiate, Bill Rankin made it 24 straight tournaments with a start. He has yet to miss a start in the last three years.
Players Mentioned
