May
3, 2008
DECORAH,
IOWA . . . Playing
on its home course at Oneota Golf and Country Club, Luther College
placed four of its five golfers in the top ten en route to its
ninth Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) Men’s
Golf Championship. It is the first title for the Norse since
2000. The Norse finished with a 63-hole Championship score of
1074, edging Central by four strokes (1078).
Central’s
Andy Petersen posted back-to-back 75s on the
final weekend of play, capturing medalist honors and Iowa Conference
Men’s Golfer of the Year honors for the second consecutive
year. His 63-hole total of 266 was one better than Buena Vista’s
Josh Reed. Petersen is Central’s 11th
medalist, more than Iowa Conference school.
Chris
Bushbaum of Wartburg posted a 72 on the final day to
vault into third place (44-76-76-72—268), one shot ahead
of Luther’s Tom Lantzy (44-77-72-76—269)
and Ross Jacobucci (37-74-77-81—268).
Lantzy led after each of the first three rounds and edged Jacobucci
in a playoff for fourth place. Luther’s Chase
Forkenbrock (44-77-76-73—270) beat Buena Vista’s
Tim Murphy (43-76-75-76—270) in a playoff
for sixth place, Central’s Reid Turner took
eighth (39-81-77-74—271) and Coe’s Nolan
Schmelzer (41-79-75-77—272) topped Luther’s
Paul Soener (39-79-76-78—272) in a playoff
for ninth place to round out the top-10 and recipients of All-Conference
recognition.
As
they had the previous two rounds, Luther posted the day’s
low score with a 303, three strokes better than Central’s
306. Coe fired a final-round 320 to place third with a 63-hole
total of 1111. Wartburg posted a 313 Saturday to place fourth
with a 1112 total, overtaking Simpson which finished fifth with
a 1115. The Storm fired a 318 on the final day to round out
the top-five.
With
its ninth Iowa Conference men’s golf title, Luther has
earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships at Chateau
Elan Resort in Braselton, Georgia, beginning May 13. It will
be the fifth NCAA appearance for the Norse.
Coach
of the Year: Luther coach Scott Fjelstul
was named IIAC Coach of the Year after leading the Norse to
three top-three finishes in five tournaments this spring, including
the Conference title. It is the seventh time since 1992 and
first since 2006, that he has received the honor.
Complete
men’s golf Championship results can be found here.
Complete
Iowa Conference All-Conference Men's Golf Team can be found
here.
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