University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, February 5
Hammock Beach Resort - Palm Coast, Fla.
University of Minnesota
vs
Big Ten Match Play
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
Photo by: Eric Miller
Gophers Open 2021 Season With Loss at Big Ten Match Play
2/5/2021 6:44:00 PM | Men's Golf
MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota men's golf team opened the 2021 season Friday with a 4-0-1 setback against Indiana in the second round of the Big Ten Match Play Championship at Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, Fla.
Seeded second and earning a first-round bye based on the Nov. 11, 2020 Golfstat rankings, the Golden Gophers got a tie from senior Thomas Longbella in their matchup with the tenth-ranked Hoosiers.
Longbella was in a tight battle with Indiana's Mitch Davis, who was up two through six holes after starting on the seventh. Longbella answered back though with wins on the next two holes to even the match. Even through 10 holes, Davis and Longbella alternated each of the final eight holes to halve the match, including an eagle by Longbella's on hole No. 6, the final hole of the match that evened things up.
Making his collegiate debut, Minnesota freshman Ben Warian lost to Drew Salyers, 1 Up. Starting on the eighth hole, Warian lost the first two holes but fought back to bring the match to a tie. It was the first of three times that Warian evened the match after trailing by two holes, including a birdie on No. 5 that brought the match all-square with just two holes to play. Unfortunately, an eagle from Salyers trumped a birdie from Warian on No. 6 and both golfers recorded a par on the final hole.
Junior Lincoln Johnson lost his match 2 Up to Harry Reynolds, though Johnson did win five holes, including three of the final six. Down by four with six holes to play, Johnson eagled No. 2 and birdied No. 3. Two holes later, Johnson recorded another birdie on No. 6 to get within one, but Reynolds secured the two-hole victory with a par on final hole to Johnson's bogey.
Sophomores Harrison Arnold and Connor Glynn lost their matches, 5&4, and 5&3, respectively. Arnold held a lead through three holes in his match before Ethan Shepherd took the next two and led the rest of the way. Glynn won two holes in his matchup with Clay Merchent.
Minnesota is back in action tomorrow morning against No. 4 Penn State at 7 a.m. CT. A win would move the Gophers into the fifth-place match for the afternoon, while a loss would send them to the seventh-place contest. The final match of the day is scheduled to take place at noon CT.
Big Ten Match Play Results
Indiana d. Minnesota, 4-0-1
Thomas Longbella and Mitch Davis, halved
Clay Merchent d. Connor Glynn, 5&3
Harry Reynolds d. Lincoln Johnson, 2 Up
Drew Salyers d. Ben Warian, 1 Up
Ethan Shepherd d. Harrison Arnold, 5&4
Seeded second and earning a first-round bye based on the Nov. 11, 2020 Golfstat rankings, the Golden Gophers got a tie from senior Thomas Longbella in their matchup with the tenth-ranked Hoosiers.
Longbella was in a tight battle with Indiana's Mitch Davis, who was up two through six holes after starting on the seventh. Longbella answered back though with wins on the next two holes to even the match. Even through 10 holes, Davis and Longbella alternated each of the final eight holes to halve the match, including an eagle by Longbella's on hole No. 6, the final hole of the match that evened things up.
Making his collegiate debut, Minnesota freshman Ben Warian lost to Drew Salyers, 1 Up. Starting on the eighth hole, Warian lost the first two holes but fought back to bring the match to a tie. It was the first of three times that Warian evened the match after trailing by two holes, including a birdie on No. 5 that brought the match all-square with just two holes to play. Unfortunately, an eagle from Salyers trumped a birdie from Warian on No. 6 and both golfers recorded a par on the final hole.
Junior Lincoln Johnson lost his match 2 Up to Harry Reynolds, though Johnson did win five holes, including three of the final six. Down by four with six holes to play, Johnson eagled No. 2 and birdied No. 3. Two holes later, Johnson recorded another birdie on No. 6 to get within one, but Reynolds secured the two-hole victory with a par on final hole to Johnson's bogey.
Sophomores Harrison Arnold and Connor Glynn lost their matches, 5&4, and 5&3, respectively. Arnold held a lead through three holes in his match before Ethan Shepherd took the next two and led the rest of the way. Glynn won two holes in his matchup with Clay Merchent.
Minnesota is back in action tomorrow morning against No. 4 Penn State at 7 a.m. CT. A win would move the Gophers into the fifth-place match for the afternoon, while a loss would send them to the seventh-place contest. The final match of the day is scheduled to take place at noon CT.
Big Ten Match Play Results
Indiana d. Minnesota, 4-0-1
Thomas Longbella and Mitch Davis, halved
Clay Merchent d. Connor Glynn, 5&3
Harry Reynolds d. Lincoln Johnson, 2 Up
Drew Salyers d. Ben Warian, 1 Up
Ethan Shepherd d. Harrison Arnold, 5&4
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