University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Look to Defend Title at Big Ten Championships
4/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
THIS WEEK: The Minnesota men’s golf team travels to East Lansing, Michigan for the Big Ten Championships this weekend in hopes of repeating as Big Ten Champions. Last season, the Gophers overcame a nine-shot deficit to gain a share of the title with Michigan State.
The championship is being played at Forest Akers West Course located near the Michigan State University Campus. The 7,013 yard, par 72 layout consists of two par 5’s, five par 4’s and two par 3’s on the front nine as well as on the back nine.
THE FIELD: Michigan State, the host school and co-defending Big Ten Champion, is the highest ranking Big Ten team in championship. They are ranked 24th in the country according to the most recent Golfweek rankings, one spot higher than the Indiana Hoosiers, who come in to the championship as the 25th best team in the nation. Other rankings include: Penn State (36), Michigan (43), Ohio State (49), Illinois (55), Northwestern (62), Wisconsin (63), Minnesota (76), Purdue (101) and Iowa (105).
Jorge Campillo of Illinois is the highest ranking individual in the championship at 25th with a rating of 70.50. Michigan State’s Ryan Brehm is ranked 45th with a rating of 70.83, followed by Minnesota senior Clayton Rask at 47th with a rating of 70.84.
LAST YEAR AT THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS: Minnesota overcame a nine-shot deficit during the final round at Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course to catch Michigan State and earn a share of its third Big Ten title in six years. The Gophers trailed by a stroke heading into the final hole and needed a birdie from former Gopher Bronson La’Cassie, a four-time All-American, to draw even with the Spartans. La’Cassie delivered, hitting his approach stiff and sinking a 12-foot birdie putt to force the tie.
The Gophers’ final-round 294 was the best 18-hole team round of the championship. Individually, La’Cassie finished second at 9-over 293, while Niall Turner notched his fifth top-10 finish of the season and tied for seventh at 14-over 298. Victor Almstrom and Ben Pisani both carded final-round 74s and tied for 21st overall.
THE GOPHERS: The Gophers lineup will consist of senior Clayton Rask, junior Victor Almstrom, sophomores Thomas Campbell and Ben Pisani and freshman Mikael Salminen.
U.S. INTERCOLLEGIATE RECAP: Minnesota carded a second consecutive 304 in the final round and finished in 16th place in the U.S. Collegiate at the Stanford Golf Club. Sophomore Thomas Campbell posted the lowest Gopher score for the weekend, and his lowest of the year, with a 17-over 227 to finish in a tie for 55th.
Players Mentioned
