Allenspach, men's golf team return to Windy City

Senior Drew Allenspach helped the IU men’s golf team to its best finish since 1980 at the NCAA Championships last season.

In the Hoosiers’ first tournament this season, the Wolf Run Intercollegiate, Allenspach was not even part of the team score. In the following tournament, he didn’t even travel with the team.

But last weekend he did, and he helped the team to a fifth-place finish at the Cardinal Intercollegiate, finishing 32nd individually.

The next test for Allenspach and his teammates will come Sunday at the Windon Memorial Classic in Chicago. The 12th annual event will be hosted by Northwestern at the North Shore Country Club. 

Instead of dwelling on the early season struggles, Allenspach remains optimistic.
“I count it as positive that I’ve had to work to get back,” he said. “I think I’ve gotten better in having to work to get back.”

IU coach Mike Mayer said he believes Allenspach has always been a key component to the team.

“Drew has been a big part of our program since he arrived on campus,” Mayer said. “There is no question about that.”

Allenspach will travel to Chicago along with seniors Jorge Campillo and Seth Brandon, junior Alex Martin and freshman David Erdy.

The team will look to build on two fifth-place finishes and one runner-up finish this season as it competes in the first of two remaining tournaments in its fall season. Last year, the Hoosiers finished third, led by Campillo’s and Brandon’s top-10 finishes.

Brandon said he believes he did not perform to what he expected early in the season, but he said he is feeling more comfortable as the season has progressed.

“I think my game is getting closer to where it should be,” Brandon said.

As for the team, Brandon said he thought the Hoosiers got a little overexcited last week and lost focus, something he hopes they will avoid this weekend.

“We just want to learn from the mistakes we made last week,” he said. “Try to turn our frustration into focus this week instead of letting it hinder us again.”

The Windon Memorial Classic has a special history with respect to professional players competing well.

In 1995, a young man by the name of Tiger Woods finished second there during his sophomore year of college, notching a 214 to lead his Stanford team to a runner-up finish.

The Hoosiers will hope to compete just as well in a field Mayer said will be difficult.
“This field is as solid as any field we play in,” he said. “Maybe not as top-heavy as some, but it’s going to be extremely, extremely competitive.”