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For some coaches, finishing 15th out of 15 teams isn’t ideal. But for Michigan coach Zach Barlow, finishing 15th was actually a blessing in disguise.
At the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational Tournament, the Michigan men’s golf team posted a lackluster finish, ranking last out of the 15 teams with a score of 878 strokes. Battling rain and adjusting to a new tournament structure, the two-day event was a true test for the Wolverines, pushing Michigan’s freshmen to keep up with the NCAA’s best on a historic course in Olympia Fields, Ill.
An Illinois men’s golf alumni, Barlow understood the world-class environment the course provides, and hoped the Wolverines would draw inspiration from this tournament to better their play for future events.
Seniors Hunter Thompson and Yuqi Liu led the way with freshmen Dean Muratore, RJ Arone and redshirt freshman Caden Pinckes rounding out the Wolverines’ lineup. Thompson shot a tournament total of 214, marking the lowest of Michigan’s scores. Despite his T33 finish, his decline in performance from day one to three — starting out two under par and ending the tournament four over — forced other team members to step up and carry that weight.
Regardless of his third place finish within the team, Muratore showed the opposite effect. Scoring a tough 78 on the first day of play, the freshman was able to come back, shooting a 75 and a team-best 69 for the final round. Although these individual scores were important, the final tally was ultimately what mattered. Barlow took great notice of the freshmen and their ability to play well in spite of the difficulty with this matchup, showing hope for the meshing required to create a strong team unit.
“Hunter was not having a great day on the 36-hole day, and some other guys, Liu and Muratore, picking them up was big for our program,” Barlow said. “I think golf is such an individual sport, yet you’re trying to put team culture in there, and a little bit of unity and vibes.”
The Wolverines knew going into this tournament that their performance would be more of an opportunity for growth as opposed to obtaining a win. All but three teams, including Michigan, were nationally ranked by the Golf Coaches Association of America. Understanding this, the Wolverines had to prepare for the possibility of finishing near the bottom of the field.
“I felt like that first six or seven holes, they were maybe a little bit star-struck, which sounds crazy, but maybe just feeling a bit outclassed,” Barlow said. “I think the biggest thing will be how we respond these next two tournaments. If we come out and continue to keep making the same mistakes that we did, maybe we didn’t learn as much as we thought we did.”
The tournament was originally scheduled to span three days, yet rainy weather forced the 54-hole event to be condensed into just two days. Friday, the teams played 18 holes, and Saturday 36. Barlow considered the initial rain delay to be the team’s wake-up call, getting them out of their heads and galvanizing them to play better golf.
“I think (the tournament) was maybe a little overwhelming at the start,” Barlow said. “So the rain delay was definitely a good thing for us. It kind of let us settle in a bit and restart, if you will. After that, I think we played okay.”
The following 36-hole day was a true test, as stamina and mentality become decisive in success. Some were able to shine, like Muratore, where others like Thompson were unable to get out of a rut.
But at the end of the day, despite the disappointing result, this tournament was a learning moment and could become a turning point toward a more successful future for the Wolverines.
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