Wolverines Open Big Ten Match Play with Pair of Ties

Friday, February 7

Palm Coast, Fla.

8:00 AM

Michigan

Iowa

Patrick Sullivan (Michigan Photography)

2/7/2020 8:01:00 PM | Men's Golf

By: Tom Wywrot

» Michigan opened its Big Ten Match Play Championship tying Iowa (3-3), but did not advance to the championship round by virtue of the tiebreaking procedure.
» U-M tied its opening consolation match, 3-3, against Indiana as the contest was reduced to 14 holes due to darkness.
» Sophomore Patrick Sullivan led the Wolverines on day one winning both of his matches.
» Five Wolverines posted a match win on the first day of play.

Site: Palm Coast, Fla.
Course: Hammock Beach Resort - Ocean Course (par 72, 7,183 yards)
Tournament: Big Ten Match Play (Day 1 of 2)
U-M Team Standing: U-M (0-0-2 after day 1)
Match 1: #8 Iowa 3, #9 Michigan 3 (Boilermakers win via tiebreaker)
Match 2: #9 Michigan 3, #10 Indiana 3 (14 holes)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 8 -- vs. Wisconsin -- Big Ten Match Play Championship (Palm Coast, Fla.), 8 a.m.

PALM COAST, Fla. -- With a 2-0 day from sophomore Patrick Sullivan, the University of Michigan men's golf team opened its 2020 spring season with a pair of ties with Iowa (3-3) and Indiana (3-3) to open play at the Big Ten Match Play Championship at the Hammock Beach Resort's Ocean Course.

"It felt good to get back into competition mode after the winter break," said U-M head coach Zach Barlow. "We were excited to kick things off with match play. I have to admit, it appeared a few of us were a little too excited as that led to some fixable mistakes. In fact, it felt a little similar to the fall season where we had flashes of championship-caliber golf, but were not able to sustain that for a long period of time. Missing opportunities ended up costing us in both matches. We have to clean up those small mistakes and I know we will. Tomorrow is another day and we will be ready."

The ninth-seeded Wolverines began by squaring off against eighth-seeded Iowa for the seventh time in the 12th annual event. Despite a 3-3 tie and the Hawkeyes advancing via the tiebreaker (total holes won), the Wolverines remained undefeated against Iowa with an all-time mark of 6-0-1.

Helping the Maize and Blue split the opening round, Sullivan posted a 2-and-1 victory over Iowa's Jake Rowe in the Wolverine sophomore's first career match play event. Adding to U-M's three points was junior Charlie Pilon's 4-and-3 win over Gonzalo Leal Montero and freshman Pier Francesco De Col's 2-and-1 victory over Matthew Garside.

Moving to the consolation side of the bracket, U-M and Indiana tied, 3-3, after 14 holes as play was reduced due to darkness. Once again, Sullivan paced Michigan with a 1-up victory over Indiana's Evan Gaesser. After opening-match losses, senior Brent Ito and junior Henry Spring rebounded in the day's second match. Ito claimed a 3-and-1 win over Mitch Davis, while Spring posted a 2-and-1 decision against Brock Oschsenreiter.

The Wolverines are scheduled for two additional matches Saturday starting with Wisconsin at 8 a.m.

2020 Big Ten Match Play Championships

Michigan ties Iowa, 3-3; loses tiebreaker
Alex Schaake (Iowa) defeats Brent Ito (U-M), 2-and-1
Charlie Pilon (U-M) defeats Gonzalo Leal Montero, 4-and-3
Benton Weinberg (Iowa) defeats Henry Spring (U-M), 6-and-5
Mac McClear (Iowa) defeats Ben Dunne (U-M), 4-and-3
Pier Francesco De Col (U-M) defeats Matthew Garside (Iowa), 2-and-1
Patrick Sullivan (U-M) defeats Jake Rowe (Iowa), 2-and-1

Michigan ties Indiana, 3-3 (reduced to 14 holes due to darkness)
Brent Ito (U-M) defeats Mitch Davis (IU), 3-and-1
Ethan Shepherd (IU) defeats Charlie Pilon, 3-and-2
Henry Spring (U-M) defeats Brock Oschsenreiter, 2-and-1
Jack Sparrow (IU) defeats Ben Dunne (U-M), 4-and-3
Drew Giacchetto (IU) defeats Pier Francesco De Col, 4-and-3
Patrick Sullivan (U-M) defeats Evan Gaesser (IU), 1-up