Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU Finishes Second at Earl Yestingsmeier Tourney After Two-Hole Playoff
October 05, 2003 | Men's Golf
Oct. 5, 2003
Yorktown, Ind. -
Mike Spielmann drained an eagle putt on the par five, second hole to give Northern Illinois the win over Bowling Green at the 2003 Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational played at The Player's Club in Yorktown, Ind. Northern Illinois and Bowling Green each completed the final round with identical team scores of 870 to force the playoff.
Bowling Green's Heath Ziglar was the individual medalist at the event with a six-under par total of 210, which included a final round 69 Sunday. On the final hole of the day, Ziglar knocked his tee shot on the 18th hole into the water alongside the 18th fairway and green. He then hit his ball onto the green and sank a 10-foot putt, which fell into the hole at the last second, to earn the medalist honors and send his team into the playoff with Bowling Green. Northern Illinois' Ethan Roush was the runner-up with a five-under par total of 211 for the weekend.
Ziglar's 6-under score of 210 (Par 72) is the best score in school history in relation to par. Craig Pickerel shot a 5-under (Par 71) last season at the Xavier Provident Invitational while BGSU coach Garry Winger shot a 3-under (Par 71) in 1994.
"He was thinking properly today," Winger said of Ziglar. "Mentally he handled himself better this tournament."
Ziglar is the first out-right tournament medalist for the Falcons since Gary Battistoni captured the Barney Francis Memorial way back in 1982. Otto Larson tied for the top spot at the Ohio Collegiate Classic in 1999, but lost in a playoff.
Other Falcons competing this weekend were senior Adam Balls (T-12th, 218), sophomore Chris Leake (T-12th, 218), redshirt-sophomore Tommy Lopez (T-48th, 228), and redshirt-junior Craig Pickerel (T-59th, 231).
The Falcons wrap up their fall season next weekend (Oct. 13-14) at the Xaiver Invitational in Cincinnati at the Grizzly Course at Kings Island.
