The Indiana men’s golf team is heading into the postseason red-hot, clinching first place in back-to-back tournaments, most recently in the Robert Kepler Invitational.
Indiana’s team score of 871 (296-291-284; +19) edged the second place Ohio State Buckeyes by three strokes, winning the Robert Kepler Invitational for the first time since 1980. Indiana’s consecutive victories in the Hoosier Collegiate and the Robert Kepler Invitational mark the program’s first back-to-back victories since the 2012-13 season.
Once again, sixth-year senior Noah Gillard led the team in scoring, finishing with a scorecard of 217 (75-72-70; +4). Gillard is playing his best golf of the season as of late, as he is fresh off winning the Hoosier Collegiate and bagged another top-five finish this weekend.
Gillard tied for fifth alongside teammate and graduate student Thomas Hursey, who shot combined scores of 217 (74-72-71; +4), notching his second consecutive top-10 finish. The pair of top-five finishers each recorded seven birdies across the competition, while Gillard added an eagle in the second round.
The Hoosiers sat in 10th place after the first round but climbed their way up the leaderboards by the third day. In the second round, Indiana shot the second-best team score in the field to propel itself into fourth before the final round.
Indiana’s team win at the Robert Kepler Invitational bested 18 schools, four of which being fellow Big Ten teams — Iowa, Maryland, Purdue and Ohio State.
Out of the 99 individuals that competed, each of Indiana’s five starters placed inside the top -40. Senior Drew Salyers placed third for Indiana and finished tied for 22nd overall. Salyers recorded a scorecard of 221 (71-79-71; +8) while knocking in six birdies throughout the weekend.
Redshirt junior Robert Bender III and freshman Cole Starnes held up fourth and fifth for Indiana. Bender III ended up tied for 35th place with final scores of 223 (76-71-76; +10) and eight birdies to go along with it. Starnes, a true freshman, placed tied for 38th, ending with scores of 224 (76-76-72; +11) and seven birdie conversions.
Indiana’s starting lineup of Gillard, Salyers, Hursey, Bender III and Starnes has been identical over its back-to-back team victories. With the Big Ten Championships starting Friday, April 26th, Indiana has found its stride at the right time.
The Indiana men’s golf team kicks off its postseason journey at the Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, where the Hoosiers compete in the Big Ten Championships from April 26-28.
