Even with gusts of wind between 15-20 miles per hour, the Hoosiers looked like masters of their home turf to capture gold.
The Indiana men’s golf team proved to be the best on The Pfau Course as they hosted the Hoosier Collegiate Tournament over the past weekend. It marked their first team victory since 2021, where the Hoosiers won at the Purdue Fall Invitational.
Indiana hosted the tournament from April 6-7, and welcomed Big Ten teams in Michigan and Michigan State, as well as local programs such as Butler, Notre Dame, IUPUI and Valparaiso.
In total, Indiana had nine golfers compete over the weekend, with four of them competing as individuals. Noah Gillard, Cole Starnes, Thomas Hursey, Robert Bender and Drew Salyers were given the team duties, and as the result shows, they did not disappoint.
Gillard carded a 213 (73-69-71; E) to earn his best finish in his collegiate career at Indiana. His best round came later on day one, where he finished with four total birdies and a 2-under finish in round two. Overall, Gillard finished with eight total birdies on the weekend, along with an eagle in round one.
Right on Gillard’s heels was Cole Starnes, who finished with a 215 (71-71-73; +2) final scoreline. The freshman earned his second top-3 finish in his young career, totaling 11 total birdies on the weekend. The Fishers native converted on at least three birdies in each of his rounds.
Hursey and Bender each also earned a top-20 finish on the weekend. Hursey carded a 219 (75-75-69; +6) with a tournament-leading 40 par conversions, and finished tied for seventh. Bender earned a 222 (72-73-77; +9), and earned his third top-20 finish of the year.
It was an uncharacteristic performance for one of Indiana’s best as Drew Salyers carded a 225 (75-74-76; +12) and tied for 25th on the weekend. Even so, it marks the ninth top-25 finish in the 10 tournaments he has appeared in so far.
Drew Piesen, Kieran Hogarth, Neri Checcucci and Eric Berggren all competed as individuals over the weekend for the Hoosiers, and all tallied solid performances on the PGA-level course.
Piesen and Hogarth both tallied a 229 finish on the weekend and finished tied for 35. Piesen, the reigning Big Ten Golfer of the Week, had a very consistent outing with a 77-76-76 finish in the three rounds. Hogarth’s best round was his first, as he totaled three birdies, en route to his seven total on the weekend.
Checcucci, a freshman, finished with a 236 (81-77-78; +23) on the weekend, and Berggren tallied a 239 (81-78-80; +26).
Indiana’s team win gives head coach Mike Mayer his 28th win during his tenure as head coach in Bloomington.
The Hoosiers now prepare to travel to Columbus, Ohio for their last tournament of the 2023-24 regular season as they play April 19-21 at the OSU Scarlet Course. Afterward, they then prepare for postseason play on April 26 with the 2024 Big Ten Championships at the Scioto Country Club in Columbus.
