Michigan
NCAA Regional
Garber Tied for Second, U-M in Third After 36 Holes of Central Regional
5/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Site: Zionsville, Ind.
Course: Wolf Run Golf Course (par 71, 7,025 yards)
Tournament: NCAA Central Regional (Day 2 of 3)
U-M Standing: 3rd Place of 14 Teams (278-288/566) After Day 2
Top U-M Individual: Joey Garber, tie-2nd (71-68/139 (-3)
Final Round: Saturday, May 21 -- at NCAA Central Regional - Final Round (Zionsville, Ind.), 8:40 a.m. (1st tee)
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ZIONSVILLE, Ind. -- A three-under 68 from freshman Joey Garber (Petoskey, Mich./Petoskey) and a two-under 69 from senior Lion Kim (Lake Mary, Fla./Lake Mary Prep School) helped the University of Michigan men's golf team post a 288 second-round tally today (Friday, May 20), positioning the Wolverines in third at 566 with 18 holes remaining at the NCAA Central Regional at the Wolf Run Golf Course.
After posting a U-M team regional record six-under 278 yesterday (Thursday, May 19), today's 288 helped the the Wolverines maintain a spot among the top five teams in the field, giving them a chance to advance to the NCAA Finals.
Garber paced the play for the Wolverines as he opened the front nine two under after birdies on Nos. 1 and 8. He bogeyed No. 11 but closed quickly with two more birdies -- on Nos. 16 and 17 -- to close with a three-under 68. After posting an even-par 71 yesterday, Garber is tied for second with a three-under 139, just two shots out of the individual lead.
Following an opening even-par 71 yesterday, Kim followed with a two-under 69 today. A birdie on No. 6 was erased with a bogey on the ninth hole as he made the turn even par. Adding birdies on Nos. 11 and 17, Kim parred the remaining holes on the back side to close at two under, putting him tied for sixth at 140 after 36 holes.
After both sophomore Jack Schultz (Whitefish Bay, Wis./Whitefish Bay) and junior Matt Thompson (Battle Creek, Mich./Lakeview) opened with three-under 68s yesterday, the duo was unable to repeat that performance as Schultz closed with a 75 today, putting him tied for 12th at 143, while Thompson carded a second-round 77 to put him tied for 23rd at 145. Sophomore Rahul Bakshi (Chandigarh, India/St. John's) is tied for 64th at 155 after posting round scores of 79 and 76.
The Wolverines conclude their NCAA Regional Saturday (May 21), teeing off the front nine at 8:40 a.m. U-M will once again be paired with regional co-leaders No. 9 Illinois (277-285/562) and No. 3 Alabama (278-284/562).
The top five teams and low individual not on a qualifying team from each regional will advance to the NCAA Championships, to be held Wednesday through Sunday, May 31-June 5, at Karsten Creek Golf Course in Stillwater, Okla.
Team Standings (After Day 2)
1. Illinois 277-285 = 562 (-4)
Alabama 278-284 = 562
3. MICHIGAN 278-288 = 566
4. Iowa 285-289 = 574
5. Stanford 284-292 = 576
6. Charlotte 295-288 = 583
7. Tennessee 287-297 = 584
8. Florida State 291-295 = 586
9. Indiana 293-295 = 588
10. Memphis 292-297 = 589
11. Wake Forest 301-291 = 592
12. Wichita State 301-303 = 604
13. UMKC 312-300 = 612
14. Sacred Heart 319-313 = 632
Top Individuals
1. Scott Langley, Illinois 68-69 = 137 (-5) 2. Joey Garber, U-M 71-68 = 139 Chris Brant, Iowa 68-71 = 139 Bud Cauley, Alabama 68-71 = 139 Garrick Porteous, Tennessee 71-68 = 139 6. Lion Kim, U-M 71-69 = 140 Jack Belote, Memphis 68-72 = 140 David Chung, Stanford 69-71 = 140 Luke Guthrie, Illinois 69-71 = 140 Hunter Hamrick, Alabama 68-72 = 140
Other Michigan Individuals
T12. Jack Schultz 68-75 = 143 T23. Matt Thompson 68-77 = 145 T64. Rahul Bakshi 79-76 = 155
N O T E S
• Michigan is making its fourth straight NCAA Regional appearance and sixth overall since the NCAA went to the regional format.
• U-M's first round six-under 278 is the lowest team round at a regional in U-M history. It topped the 281 tallied in the second round of last year's NCAA Central Regional at the Warren Golf Course in South Bend, Ind. The Wolverines' 278 team tally is also the second-lowest round of the season and is the eighth total sub-par team round.
• Michigan's Lion Kim and Stanford's David Chung both competed as amateurs at the 2011 Masters. Both are tied for sixth individually with 140 tallies at the NCAA Central Regional -- Kim (71-69) and Chung (69-71).
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Andrew Sapp
On the second day of the NCAA Central Regional ... "We are definitely playing team golf. We are just really seeing others picking each other up when another stumbles. Joey (Garber) and Lion (Kim) carried us today, but I really have to give it to Lion today. His achilles was bothering him so much that I even told him that he should stop playing, but he said no, he could finish. He really just gutted it out on a bum leg and you really have to give it to him for caring that much. Joey played just fantastic today, and it was great to see Jack (Schultz) come back with those two closing birdies after struggling a bit today. Rahul (Bakshi) played better today and counted for us today especially after Matt (Thompson) struggled a bit. So like I said, it was team golf today."
On preparing for the final round with so much on the line ... "We came here to win this regional. We are not here just to qualify and stay in the top five. We want to come out and win this event and then advance automatically. We get another chance to play with Illinois and Alabama and we would have it no other way. They are tremendous teams. We just have to take it as it is, play our game and try to keep this momentum going."
Players Mentioned
