Gopher Men Begin Spring Action With a Pair of Wins to Open Big Ten Match Play

  PALM COAST, Fla. – The University of Minnesota men’s golf team opened its spring season with a pair of victories to begin the 2018 Big Ten Match Play Championship Friday at The Hammock Beach Resort.
 
The Gophers got impressive performances from freshman Angus Flanagan, as well as sophomore Thomas Longbella, both of whom won both matches during the opening day of competition Friday.
 
Flanagan, of Woking, England, downed University of Maryland’s Peter Knade, 1-up, as the Gophers would go on to edge the Terrapins 3-2-1. Flanagan then held off University of Iowa’s Alex Schaake for a 2-up victory as the Gophers cruised to a 4-2 win during Friday’s Afternoon session.
 
Longbella, a Chippewa Falls, Wis. native, never trailed during his opening match against Maryland’s Evan Santa, earning a 1-up victory before the Gophers’ biggest victory of the tournament thus far, a 7 and 6 drubbing of Iowa’s Sam Meuret late Friday.
 
Junior Peter Jones notched a victory for the Gophers during the opening round Friday, while senior Riley Johnson played to a draw to halve his match in a winning effort for Minnesota.
 
In the afternoon, along with Flanagan and Longbella, the Gophers also got victories from Johnson and fellow senior Charlie Duensing.
 
Purdue University, the University of Wisconsin, Michigan State University and Ohio State University join the Gophers as the five teams to finish the opening day with two victories.
 
Minnesota will face Purdue when the final round of pool play begins Saturday at 7 a.m. Teams will then be seeded for the final championship round Saturday afternoon.
 
 
 
2018 BIG TEN MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
THE HAMMOCK BEACH RESORT
PALM COAST, FLA.
 
CONSERVATORY COURSE
7,183 YARDS, PAR 72
 
OCEAN COURSE
7,155 YARDS, PAR 72
 
 
FRIDAY’S SECOND ROUND TEAM RESULTS
Illinois & Nebraska, tied 3-3 (Illinois win tiebreaker)
MINNESOTA def. IOWA, 4-2
Wisconsin & Northwestern, tied 3-3 (Wisconsin wins tiebreaker)
Purdue def. Michigan, 4-2
Ohio State def. Maryland, 4-2
Michigan State def. Indiana, 5-1
Penn State def. Rutgers, 5-0-1
 
 
FRIDAY’S SECOND ROUND INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
ANGUS FLANAGAN, MINNESOTA, def. Alex Schaake, Iowa, 2-up
RILEY JOHNSON, MINNESOTA, def. Matthew Walker, Iowa, 1-up
Benton Weinberg, Iowa, def. PETER JONES, MINESOTA, 5 and 3
THOMAS LONGBELLA, MINNESOTA, def. Sam Meuret, Iowa, 7 and 6
Alex Moorman, Iowa, def. GUS MINKIN, MINNESOTA, 5 and 4
CHARLIE DUENSING, MINNESOTA, def. Jack Simpson, Iowa, 3 and 2
 
 
FRIDAY’S FIRST ROUND TEAM RESULTS
Wisconsin def. Illinois, 3-2-1
MINNESOTA def. Maryland, 3-2-1
Northwestern def. Nebraska, 4-2
Purdue def. Iowa, 4-1-1
Michigan State def. Rutgers, 4-0-2
Ohio State def. Michigan, 5-1
Indiana def. Penn State, 5-1
 
 
FRIDAY’S FIRST ROUND INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
ANGUS FLANAGAN, MINNESOTA, def. Peter Knade, Maryland, 1-up
RILEY JOHNSON, MINNESOTA, & David Kocher, Maryland, halved
PETER JONES, MINNESOTA, def. Tom Colanta, Maryland, 4 and 3
THOMAS LONGBELLA, MINNESOTA, def. Evan Santa, Maryland, 1-up
Chris Navarro, Maryland, def. EVAN LONG, MINNESOTA, 2 and 1
Bennett Buch, Maryland, def. RUNAR ARNORSSON, MINNESOTA, 3 and 2
 
 
For complete tournament results go to:  https://nflapgajr.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/nflapgajr17/event/nflapgajr1710/index.htm