Schneider's Repeat Championship Helps Falcons Take John Piper Intercollegiate Title

Tuesday, September 15

Bowling Green, Ohio

All Day

Bowling Green State University

John Piper Intercollegiate

Matt Schneider's Final Round 67 Helps Falcons To Title

Schneider's Repeat Championship Helps Falcons Take John Piper Intercollegiate Title

September 15, 2009 | Men's Golf

By: BGSU Athletic Communications

FINAL RESULTS

PHOTO GALLERY

In 2008, the Bowling Green State University men's golf team finished third at the John Piper Intercollegiate and featured Matt Schneider, the tournament's individual champion. Those results are hard to top, but in 2009, the Falcons managed to do just that.

The 2009 John Piper Intercollegiate is now complete, and Bowling Green is the co-champion of the tournament. The Falcons also now have a repeat champion among their ranks, as Schneider is co-champion, winning the individual tournament crown for the second year in a row.

Bowling Green used a five-under-par 283 in the final round to finish with an even-par 864 (286-295-283) for the tournament. That score ties the Falcons with Wisconsin-Green Bay for the team title. The score of 283 is better than any round the Falcons produced during the 2008-09 season. The Falcons also proved their mettle by netting the best score on par-three holes (+5) and par-five holes (-19) of any participating team. Their 51 birdies over the tournament's three rounds also were tops among all teams.

Together, Bowling Green and Green Bay far outpaced the rest of the field. Indianapolis finished third (879), 15 strokes behind the co-champions. Cleveland State was the fourth place squad (884), while Loyola-Chicago (885) and the University of Dayton (891) finished in fifth and sixth place, respectively.

Individually, Schneider entered the final day of the tournament five strokes behind the leader. Schneider's five-under-par 67 allowed him to climb to the top of the leaderboard and finished with a cumulative score of 211 (72-72-67). That tied Schneider for first place with Dayton's Jeff Hodapp (71-70-70). Schneider's low round of 67 is tied for his best round since his scored a 66 in the second round of last year's Earl Yestingsmeier tournament. For the tourney, Schneider was the best player on par-four holes. Over his three rounds, Schneider was four-under-par on those par-fours.

Schneider's title is the sixth individual title for a Falcon during head coach Garry Winger's tenure (Otto Larson – 1999, Heath Ziglar – 2004, John Powers – 2007, Jace Walker – 2008, Matt Schneider – 2008, 2009). Four of those have come in the last three seasons, and Schneider is Winger's first two-time champion.

Fellow senior John Powers improved upon last year's sixth place finish. This time around, Powers finished alone in third place with an impressive three-under-par 213 (70-73-70).

Freshman Wes Gates began his college career with a bang. Gates carded a solid two-over-par 218 (71-75-72) to finish tied for tenth place.

Drew Preston, who also began his college career with a 218 in last year's Rutherford Intercollegiate, finished the John Piper Intercollegiate in a tie for 21st place. For the tourney, Preston carded a 223 (73-76-74).

Parker Hewit, a Falcon sophomore, finished tied for 32nd place with a score of 229 (75-75-79).

Seniors Scott Blackburn and Chad Walker competed as individuals for the Falcons in the tournament. Blackburn finished tied for 42nd place with a 232 (75-77-80), while Walker tied for 54th place with a 236 (80-78-78).

This year's tournament featured 69 players.

The Falcons return to the links next week for the Earl Yestingsmeier Intercollegiate in Muncie, Indiana. The two day tournament will take place on Monday, September 21st and Tuesday, September 22nd. Bowling Green will be looking to win their second tournament in a row and to improve upon last year's fifth place finish.