Saturday, February 6
Palm Coast, Fla. (Hammock Beach Resort)
Michigan State University
vs
Big Ten Match Play Championship
Spartans Claim Third at Season-Opening Big Ten Match Play Championship
2/6/2021 6:00:00 PM | Men's Golf
PALM COAST, Florida – The Michigan State men's golf team opened the season with a third-place finish at the Big Ten Match Play Championship at Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, Florida. The Spartans advanced to the semifinals where they met fifth-seeded Iowa on Saturday morning, falling 3 and 2. However, Michigan State responded with a dominating performance in the third-place match, topping 11th-seeded Wisconsin 4 and 1.
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It's the Spartans' fifth top-three showing at the event, which began in 2009.
"Overall, it was a really solid start to the season," MSU head coach Casey Lubahn said. "There was a lot of good stuff from a lot of guys and a lot to build on."
James Piot, who won three of his four matches on the weekend, never trailed in squaring off against Wisconsin's Nick Robinson in the third-place match and went on to win 3 and 2.
"James was brilliant yesterday," Lubahn said. "He struggled at bit this morning but responded like a leader."
Bradley Smithson went unbeaten on the weekend (3-0-1) and finished 1 up on Wisconsin's Griffin Barela.
"Brad was exceptional all weekend - as good as I've seen him," Lubahn said. "His endurance and motivation were good and just a lot of positives all the way around."
Andrew Walker won both of his matches on Saturday, capping the day with a 3 and 2 win over Cameron Huss in the third-place match against the Badgers.
"Andrew was really good all weekend," Lubahn said.
Freshman August Meekhof defeated Robbie Morway, 5 and 4, to cap the Spartans' day.
In the morning semifinal match against Iowa, Smithson (3 and 2) and Walker (2 and 1) both won their morning matches against the Hawkeyes, while Iowa's Benton Weinberg (7 and 5) and Jake Rowe (5 and 4) defeated Meekhof and Pierce Morrissey, respectively. Iowa's Alex Schaake finished 1 up on Piot to give the Hawkeyes a 3 and 2 edge.
Michigan State will be back in action Feb. 14-16 at the Kiawah Invitational.
>> GOLFSTAT
It's the Spartans' fifth top-three showing at the event, which began in 2009.
"Overall, it was a really solid start to the season," MSU head coach Casey Lubahn said. "There was a lot of good stuff from a lot of guys and a lot to build on."
James Piot, who won three of his four matches on the weekend, never trailed in squaring off against Wisconsin's Nick Robinson in the third-place match and went on to win 3 and 2.
"James was brilliant yesterday," Lubahn said. "He struggled at bit this morning but responded like a leader."
Bradley Smithson went unbeaten on the weekend (3-0-1) and finished 1 up on Wisconsin's Griffin Barela.
"Brad was exceptional all weekend - as good as I've seen him," Lubahn said. "His endurance and motivation were good and just a lot of positives all the way around."
Andrew Walker won both of his matches on Saturday, capping the day with a 3 and 2 win over Cameron Huss in the third-place match against the Badgers.
"Andrew was really good all weekend," Lubahn said.
Freshman August Meekhof defeated Robbie Morway, 5 and 4, to cap the Spartans' day.
In the morning semifinal match against Iowa, Smithson (3 and 2) and Walker (2 and 1) both won their morning matches against the Hawkeyes, while Iowa's Benton Weinberg (7 and 5) and Jake Rowe (5 and 4) defeated Meekhof and Pierce Morrissey, respectively. Iowa's Alex Schaake finished 1 up on Piot to give the Hawkeyes a 3 and 2 edge.
Michigan State will be back in action Feb. 14-16 at the Kiawah Invitational.
Players Mentioned
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