Golf takes fifth at Big Tens

The Michigan men's golf team overcame Michigan State's hard course and unfriendly weather for a fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Tournament on Sunday.

Michigan was one of only five teams to finish with less than 1,200 strokes, scoring an 1,194, only six strokes from a three-way-tie with Minnesota and Northwestern.

"I can't tell you how delighted I am with how we came out," Michigan coach Jim Carras said.

He has every right to be delighted with the performance his team put in, with All-Big Ten selection Michael Harris tying for seventh place with a score of 293. To do this Harris shot a remarkable 67 in the final round yesterday after placing no higher than 16th in the first three rounds of play. Harris ended up only six strokes behind tourney winner Ryan Armour of Ohio State.

ANDREW YOUNG/Daily Sophomore Michael Harris saved his best of the Big Ten championships for the final round. Harris shot a 67, and helped the Wolverines jump from sixth to fifth on the final day.

"We started making our little move in round three," Carras said.

The Wolverines were slowly crawling their way up in the standings from seventh place after two rounds on Friday.

They jumped to sixth on Saturday, firing a 296, and then went off yesterday, shooting a 287 - the second-lowest score in a round during the tournament.

The whole team made the impressive score possible, with each individual scoring a 76 or less, including a 72 from Scott Hayes and a 73 from Mike Affeldt. This gave Michigan the much-needed production from the bottom end of the lineup that has been lacking all season.

"I have to give them credit," Carras said. "They came through."

But it seems that the team has come together a little too late, with two of the Wolverines' top three golfers, Keith Hinton and Kevin Vernick, having just graduated. Hinton plans on turning pro and joining the Canadian tour.

The Big Tens also marked the end of the season for the Wolverines. They didn't clinch a spot in regionals, and no one made the NCAAs individually. But Harris, the heart of the team, will be returning for his senior year as one of the premier golfers in the Big Ten.

The lineup becomes very gray thereafter, because Harris is the only team member guaranteed a returning spot. Carras has made it clear that Hayes and Affeldt will have to earn their way back on the team next year and will face stiff competition from underclassmen and incoming freshmen.

"We are looking forward to next year," Carras said. "We want to get back to regionals."

05-11-98