March 21, 2011
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Ball Ground, GA – The University of Iowa men’s golf team advanced through the consolation bracket at the Callaway Collegiate Match Play Monday, March 21. The No. 10 Hawkeyes knocked off second-seeded and No. 3 nationally ranked Alabama, 4 matches to 1. Every Iowa golfer fired even par or better as the sixth-seeded Hawkeyes pulled off yet another tournament upset. The 16-team tournament is being held at Hawks Ridge Golf Club in Ball Ground, GA.
Senior Vince India started things off with a 2 and 1 decision over Bud Cauley. The two went back and forth thru their first nine, but India recorded consecutive birdies on his 12th and 13th holes to take a 2 up advantage. The match was all square with as few as four holes remaining but India dropped a 10 foot birdie on his 17th hole to clench the match at 2 and 1 in favor of India.
Senior Brad Hopfinger also posted a 2 and 1 win for the Hawkeyes. He took the lead from Alabama’s Cory Whitsett right from the start, posting a birdie on his first hole of the morning. Hopfinger continued for a total of 16 holes at or under par to record Iowa’s second point for the day. Junior Chris Brant saw the only loss for the Black and Gold, dropping a 2 up decision to Alabama’s Hunter Hamrick. The match was never separated by more than two holes and included nine holes at all square. Brant suffered a pair of bogies to close the match for Alabama’s only point of the day.
Both juniors Barrett Kelpin and Jed Dirksen won their second-consecutive matches. Kelpin began with three straight birdies and never relinquished the lead. He carded two more birdies during the round and led by as much as five holes before closing the match at 3 and 2. Dirksen fell behind early in his match but responded with birdies on his 9th and 10th holes, giving himself a two-up lead. With another pair of birdies on his 15th and 16th, the Hampton, IA, native closed out a strong 4 and 2 win.
The Hawkeyes will advance to face eighth-seeded and No. 13 ranked Georgia in tomorrow’s consolation bracket final. Fourth-seeded Illinois and 10th-seeded Duke will face each other in tomorrow’s championship bracket final. Action will begin at 7:30 a.m. (CT). For tournament updates, live scoring and a tournament bracket, go to www.collegiatematchplay.com.
DAY TWO RESULTS
Team Results
-Semifinals
(4) Illinois def. (9) Texas Tech, 3-2
(10) Duke def. (11) Southern California, 3-1-1
-Fifth-Place Bracket
(5) Texas A&M def (1) UCLA, 3-1-1
(3) Georgia Tech def. (15) East Tennessee State, 3-0-2
-Consolation Bracket
(8) Georgia def. (12) Pacific, 5-0
(6) Iowa def. (2) Alabama, 4-1
(16) South Carolina def. (13) Baylor, 4-1
(14) Washington State def. (7) Texas, 3-2
Individual Match Results
(6) Iowa def. (2) Alabama, 4-1
Vince India def. Bud Cauley, 2 and 1
Brad Hopfinger def. Cory Whitsett, 2 and 1
Hunter Hamrick def. Chris Brant, 2-up
Barrett Kelpin def. Trey Mullinax, 3 and 2
Jed Dirksen def. Scott Strohmeyer, 4 and 2