Saturday, September 8
Sellersburg, IN
Southern Illinois University
at
Indiana University
Salukis open season with record-breaking win at Indiana
09/09/2018 | 7:10:00 | Men's Golf
Complete Results
Henryville, Ind. - The Southern Illinois men's golf team opened the 2018-19 season with a record-breaking performance at the Fuzzy Zoeller Intercollegiate. SIU shot a three-round total of 836 (-28) to beat tournament host Indiana by 10 strokes. The Salukis also had the tournament's top-three overall finishers, led by medalist Matthis Besard and runners up Frankie Thomas and Luke Gannon.
"This was a total team effort," SIU head coach Justin Fetcho said. "There is so much talent on the roster, and it showed this week. Everyone stepped up when needed. And to have the top-three on the leaderboard, that's special. They carried the load this week. As a coach, it's the start you dream up before the season starts."
Wet conditions disrupted the schedule and forced the suspension of the second round until Sunday. The Salukis took a lead into the final round, but Indiana, which hosted the event, made a charge with a run of birdies. SIU answered every one and actually extended the lead by beating the Hoosiers by two strokes in the final round. All three rounds by SIU were top-25 rounds in school history, led by a first-round 275 that tied for the second-best round in school history.
"I'm very proud of our group for the way they handled the weather and adversity," Fetcho said. "A very good Indiana team made a lot of birdies to chase us, and our guys responded with birdies. That shows the competitiveness and talent of our group. That's the part that made me the most proud—the way everyone responded to adversity and put an exclamation point on it with a win over Indiana."
Playing in his first-ever collegiate tournament, freshman Matthis Besard led wire-to-wire after shooting a first-round 66 (-6). He led the field in birdies and par-4 scoring, but it was a par that earned him the win. In the final round, after hitting a ball in the water and taking a drop on the eighth hole, Besard holed out from 70 yards away and ended up winning the tournament by one stroke over teammates Gannon and Thomas.
"I didn't expect to win," Besard said of his first tournament. "I was excited but didn't know what to expect. Everything went right in the first round. It was great to follow that up with 2-under and 1-under. I'm proud of what I did. (On the eight hole) I was frustrated because that's a mistake I can't make. Coach helped me out and said I had to forget it. The yardage (after the drop) fit me pretty well, and it went in."
"It shows the type of talent he has," Fetcho said of Besard. "He's not the longest hitter. He has a small stature, but a huge heart and a huge will to win. That was evident this week. He gave himself birdie chances and converted a lot of them. That was an impressive feat. Hopefully, it's a springboard for the rest of the year and he can be in the thick of things again. I can't say enough good things about his play and composure."
Southern's 54-hole score of 836 broke the 12-year-old team record by three strokes. The team win was the 21st in program history and the fourth under head coach Justin Fetcho, which includes the 2016 MVC title.
"We have high expectations for this group," Besard said. "We had six players here who can go really low, and this proves that. It's one of the best groups we've had here, and we're really looking forward to this season."
TEAM RESULTS
1. Southern Illinois 275-283-276 (836, -28)
2. Indiana 282-284-280 (846, -18)
3. Bowling Green 281-291-285 (857, -7)
4. Western Kentucky 291-294-277 (862, -2)
5. Oakland 294-290-289 (873, +9)
6. IUPUI 291-294-289 (874, +10)
7. Toledo 295-293-291 (879, +15)
8. Fort Wayne 292-293-300 (885, +21)
9. Bethune-Cookman 291-301-295 (887, +23)
10. Evansville 302-298-294 (894, +30)
11. Youngstown State 296-295-304 (895, +31)
12. Western Illinois 299-302-300 (901, +37)
-- Georgetown 293-300-DNP (593, +17)
SIU RESULTS
1. Matthis Besard 66-70-71 (207, -9)
t2. Luke Gannon 69-70-69 (208, -8)
t2. Frankie Thomas 72-68-68 (208, -8)
t12. Peyton Wilhoit 68-75-70 (213, -3)
t51. Tom Cleaton 73-77-78 (228, +12)
t34. Sean Mullan 73-75-74 (222, +6) Playing as individual
Henryville, Ind. - The Southern Illinois men's golf team opened the 2018-19 season with a record-breaking performance at the Fuzzy Zoeller Intercollegiate. SIU shot a three-round total of 836 (-28) to beat tournament host Indiana by 10 strokes. The Salukis also had the tournament's top-three overall finishers, led by medalist Matthis Besard and runners up Frankie Thomas and Luke Gannon.
"This was a total team effort," SIU head coach Justin Fetcho said. "There is so much talent on the roster, and it showed this week. Everyone stepped up when needed. And to have the top-three on the leaderboard, that's special. They carried the load this week. As a coach, it's the start you dream up before the season starts."
Wet conditions disrupted the schedule and forced the suspension of the second round until Sunday. The Salukis took a lead into the final round, but Indiana, which hosted the event, made a charge with a run of birdies. SIU answered every one and actually extended the lead by beating the Hoosiers by two strokes in the final round. All three rounds by SIU were top-25 rounds in school history, led by a first-round 275 that tied for the second-best round in school history.
"I'm very proud of our group for the way they handled the weather and adversity," Fetcho said. "A very good Indiana team made a lot of birdies to chase us, and our guys responded with birdies. That shows the competitiveness and talent of our group. That's the part that made me the most proud—the way everyone responded to adversity and put an exclamation point on it with a win over Indiana."
Playing in his first-ever collegiate tournament, freshman Matthis Besard led wire-to-wire after shooting a first-round 66 (-6). He led the field in birdies and par-4 scoring, but it was a par that earned him the win. In the final round, after hitting a ball in the water and taking a drop on the eighth hole, Besard holed out from 70 yards away and ended up winning the tournament by one stroke over teammates Gannon and Thomas.
"I didn't expect to win," Besard said of his first tournament. "I was excited but didn't know what to expect. Everything went right in the first round. It was great to follow that up with 2-under and 1-under. I'm proud of what I did. (On the eight hole) I was frustrated because that's a mistake I can't make. Coach helped me out and said I had to forget it. The yardage (after the drop) fit me pretty well, and it went in."
"It shows the type of talent he has," Fetcho said of Besard. "He's not the longest hitter. He has a small stature, but a huge heart and a huge will to win. That was evident this week. He gave himself birdie chances and converted a lot of them. That was an impressive feat. Hopefully, it's a springboard for the rest of the year and he can be in the thick of things again. I can't say enough good things about his play and composure."
Southern's 54-hole score of 836 broke the 12-year-old team record by three strokes. The team win was the 21st in program history and the fourth under head coach Justin Fetcho, which includes the 2016 MVC title.
"We have high expectations for this group," Besard said. "We had six players here who can go really low, and this proves that. It's one of the best groups we've had here, and we're really looking forward to this season."
TEAM RESULTS
1. Southern Illinois 275-283-276 (836, -28)
2. Indiana 282-284-280 (846, -18)
3. Bowling Green 281-291-285 (857, -7)
4. Western Kentucky 291-294-277 (862, -2)
5. Oakland 294-290-289 (873, +9)
6. IUPUI 291-294-289 (874, +10)
7. Toledo 295-293-291 (879, +15)
8. Fort Wayne 292-293-300 (885, +21)
9. Bethune-Cookman 291-301-295 (887, +23)
10. Evansville 302-298-294 (894, +30)
11. Youngstown State 296-295-304 (895, +31)
12. Western Illinois 299-302-300 (901, +37)
-- Georgetown 293-300-DNP (593, +17)
SIU RESULTS
1. Matthis Besard 66-70-71 (207, -9)
t2. Luke Gannon 69-70-69 (208, -8)
t2. Frankie Thomas 72-68-68 (208, -8)
t12. Peyton Wilhoit 68-75-70 (213, -3)
t51. Tom Cleaton 73-77-78 (228, +12)
t34. Sean Mullan 73-75-74 (222, +6) Playing as individual
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
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