Following Hot Start, Gopher Men Drop Final Two Matches at Big Ten Match Play to Finish Eighth

PALM COAST, Fla. – After a promising first day of competition Friday, the University of Minnesota men’s golf team dropped its final two matches of the tournament Saturday to finish in eighth place at the Big Ten Match Play Championships at Hammock Beach Resort.
 
The Gophers edged Maryland, 3-2-1, to open the championship Friday before cruising past the University of Iowa, 4-2, to finish the first day of action unbeaten, along with four other teams.
 
During a weather-shortened third round early Saturday, the Gophers fell to Purdue University 0-4-2, getting a pair of halves from Riley Johnson and Runar Arnorsson. During Saturday’s afternoon session, the Gophers dropped all six matches to Ohio State University, losing 0-6.
 
Michigan State University and Purdue earn a share of the Big Ten Match Play title Saturday, the first for Purdue and second in three years for Michigan State.
 
The Big Ten Network will broadcast the championship Saturday, March 3^rd at 5:30 p.m. CST.
 
The Gopher men travel to Montgomery, Texas, Feb. 24 to take on the University of Houston.