DeKALB, Ill. – Four Huskies placed in the top six and Northern Illinois University golfers Felix Krammer and Jack Mulligan made clutch putts down the stretch as NIU won the Kishwaukee Collegiate tournament at Kishwaukee Country Club Saturday.
 
NIU won its second tournament of the year by shooting rounds of 276 and 277 at the par 70, 6,354-yard layout for a 36-hole total of seven under par 553, two strokes better than Illinois State's five-under par 555 (278-277). Central Michigan was third.
 
"To win at home, to win in front of your friends and family on a course that we're familiar with is a little bit of an added pressure, and our guys stepped up big today," said NIU head coach John Carlson. "Kishwaukee membership is a big part of the fabric of NIU golf, along with Rich Harvest Farms and I think you all saw what that family really was today. We had a contingent of alumni, donors, family, friends, so many supporters of our program here."
 
Krammer, a senior from Waakirchen, Germany, shot rounds of 68-67 to earn his second runner-up finish of the season. With NIU and Illinois State in a tight race down the stretch in the second round and the Huskies holding onto a lead as slim as one stroke, Krammer made a birdie putt on his final hole to help maintain the Huskie lead.
 
After senior Ben Sluzas finished his second round 68 that included an eagle on the par 5 sixth hole and a run of four straight birdies on holes 12 through 15, and sophomore Craig Long (Alpharetta, Ga./Milton HS) came in with a one-under par 69, Mulligan was the last Huskie on the course. 
 
The freshman from Burr Ridge, Ill. (Hinsdale Central HS) had started the day with the best round of his young NIU career, a five-under par 65 to take the first-round lead. The round included four birdies and an eagle with just one bogey. After carding bogeys on his 16th and 17th holes of the second round and NIU leading by just one stroke, Mulligan and the Huskies seemingly needed a par to secure the win, and he delivered with a five-foot putt.
 
"[Jack] had to stand up there and make a five-footer on the last hole to seemingly win the tournament," Carlson said. "Even though we ended up winning by two shots, we thought it was for the title at the time, and I'm sure his heart was palpitating. He knew he had to make it, so it was a very special performance from him."
 
A pair of Huskies playing as individuals also notched Top 10 finishes as freshman Conor McCall and senior Pattanan Bruminhent each came in at seven-over 147. Freshman Beau Peterson was two strokes back, tied for 13th at 149 and freshman Patrick Raupp (Arlington Heights, Ill./Prospect HS) shot 73-78.
 
Illinois State's TJ Barger won the tournament after firing an eight-under par 62 in the second round to finish the tournament at eight-under 132.
 
NIU returns to action April 13-14 at the Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa City, Iowa.
 
1. NIU – 276-277 – 553 (-7)
 
2. Felix Krammer 68-67 – 135 (-5)
3. Jack Mulligan 65-73 – 138 (-2)
4. Ben Sluzas 71-68 – 139 (-1)
6. Craig Long 72-69 – 141 (+1)
T18. Patrick Raupp 73-78 – 151 (+11)
 
NIU Individuals
T10. Connor McCall (I) 73-74 – 147 (+7)
T10. Pattanan Bruminhent (I) 74-73 – 147 (+7)
T13. Beau Petersen (I) 76-73 – 149 (+9)
 
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