Senior wins Big Ten title

Throughout his collegiate career, senior Jeff Overton has been racking up achievements and titles. One big one was missing -- but he got it Sunday as he became the Big Ten Champion in men's golf in Madison, Wis.\n"(Winning) is really emotional for me right now," Overton said. "I was walking down 17, and I was thinking I had a chance to win. I just about had tears coming out of my eyes. This is a very special victory for me."\nIn addition to being the Big Ten champion -- the first for IU since Shaun Micheel, the 2003 PGA Championship winner -- Overton was also named the 2005 Big Ten Golfer of the Year, a repeat performance from 2004. \nAfter two days of solid play, resulting in a 14-under-par 130, Overton was primed to make a push for his eighth career individual title at IU.\nAt the start of the day Overton was tied with Michigan State's Ryan Brehm and stayed that way for much of the afternoon. Through 14 holes, Overton maintained just a one-shot lead.\nOverton made his move as he birdied the 15th hole and eagled the 16th. Those holes, combined with a bogey on 16 for Brehm, gave Overton a lead he would not relinquish the rest of the day.\nEven with the importance of the back nine play, Overton felt the difference maker was a 230-yard shot with his 4-iron on the par-5 ninth hole, he said.\n"That was a big momentum swing," Overton said. "I think it really put me in a position to win. I was just attempting to go as low as possible to get our team the championship, and I ended up hitting a great shot into the green."\nThe Hoosiers, like Overton, were in prime position to make a move for the Big Ten title, their first since the 1997-1998 season.\nBut IU couldn't maintain the same play that had guided them to a tie atop the leaderboard after 36 holes. Overton was the only player to finish with a score under par in the final round. The Hoosiers finished five shots back of Michigan State and one ahead of third-place Northwestern.\nDespite the third-day performance not living up to the prior two, IU coach Mike Mayer was proud of his team's second-place finish, he said.\n"It was a great run," Mayer said. "We put ourselves in a position to win and just came up a little short."\nOverton has made it a habit this year of being in position to win on the final day of play. In his past four tournaments, including the Big Ten Championship, Overton was in position to take home the title. In two of those however, the Pinehurst Invitational and Boilermaker Invitational, he led going into the final day only to lose it and finish in second place.\nAfter watching Overton progress over his four years to a nationally acclaimed golfer, it only seemed natural for him to go out on top in his final Big Ten performance, Mayer said.\n"This (also) was a fitting end to Jeff Overton's Big Ten career," he said. "He is a deserving champion and one of the best players to ever play in this league, without question"