April 6, 2010

Final Results

HOLLISTER, Mo. - The Northern Illinois men's golf team claimed two of the top three individual finishes at the 54-hole, two-day Branson Creek Invitational, scoring a season-best fourth-place team finish, as Jeff Dick won his first collegiate tournament and Griffin Bauman posted his best collegiate finish by taking third.

"I think it's the first of many for Jeff," said NIU head men's golf coach Tom Porten. "It was a convincing win. He played solid golf both days. Today was a tough day with up to 42 MPH wind gusts. He had 14 pars, one birdie, and three bogies, which was real steady.

"Griffin had an eight on his second to last hole, or he would have finished second. A one-two finish would have been fantastic. He still had a great tournament and continues to get better each and every week."

"It's a good sign," Porten said. "We have a good foundation for a strong team with Griffin as a freshman and Jeff as a junior. Some of our inexperience showed today with not being able to handle the wind as well as we should have. We also putted poorly, but I'm encouraged overall by getting the lead, you never want to lose it, but we are taking steps each time we play to be a better program. We'll be ready to get back at it in Missouri next week."

Dick entered the day in first and stayed there by shooting a two-over 73 in the final 18 holes to easily win the title by five strokes, posting a 210 total score (68 | 69 | 73 | -3), including a season-low first round 68, as he was the only player in the field to finish under par.

After starting the day in a tie for second, Bauman joined his teammate in the top three by shooting a final round 75 for a 218 total (72 | 71 | 75 | +5) and third place finish.

Following a one-hole playoff, Stephen F. Austin took the tournament title over Western Illinois as the Huskies, who with a 586 stroke total through two rounds yesterday stood in first, shot a 309 in Tuesday's final round for a three-round total of 895 (293 | 293 | 309 | +43), giving NIU its best finish of the season.

"Fourth place is a positive for us, but Jeff's win is the biggest positive of all," Porten said. "Having two players in the top three is a building block for this program."

Rounding out the Huskie line-up were Greg Pohlmann's 32nd-place tie, Matt Triplett's 38th-place tie, and Matt Gorman's 47th-place tie. Pohlmann posted a final round 81 for a 232 stroke total (75 | 76 | 81 | +19). Triplett scored an 80 in the final 18 to end with a total of 236 (79 | 77 | 80 | +23). In his first spring event, Gorman ended with an 83 for a 240 total (78 | 79 | 83 | +27).

As an independent competitor, Paul Hammerschmidt posted a 21st-place tie, finishing with a score of 228 (80 | 73 | 75 | +15) at the par 71, 6,942-yard Branson Creek Golf Club.

The Huskies return to action Monday, April 12th and Tuesday, April 13th with the Missouri Invitational in Columbia, Mo.