The Wisconsin men’s golf team’s 2013-2014 season came to a close over the weekend with a 10th-place finish in the Big Ten Championships in French Lick, Ind.
The tournament began Friday with two rounds where Wisconsin got off to a slow start 23-over par 311 through the first 18 holes, but the Badgers rebounded, improving its second-round score by nine strokes with a 14-over par 302 to put UW firmly in 10th place.
The third round of the tournament proved to be the low point for Wisconsin as the Badgers posted a 24-over par 312 — its worst score of the tournament — but low scores by every team Saturday kept UW in the 10th spot.
With the motivation of grabbing its best finish in the Big Ten Championships for several years, Wisconsin posted its best score of the tournament with a nine-over 297 to give the Badgers a final score of 1222, good for a 10th-place finish and just one stroke behind Penn State.
After finishing in 12th place in last year’s Big Ten Championships, this seasons outcome was a marked improvement for the Badgers. The 10th-place finish marks the best finish for Wisconsin since it finished 10th in the 2009 Big Ten Championships.
Junior Thomas O’Bryan was a big reason for the Badgers success in the tournament as the Illinois native finished tied for 12th at the end of the weekend.
After posting two 76s Friday, O’Bryan improved his score by two strokes for the home stretch with a pair of two-over 74s Saturday and Sunday. The junior finished with a score of 300 or 12-over.
O’Bryan finished last year’s Big Ten Championships in a tie for 49th overall. His 12th-place finish ties a career best that he posted in 2012.
Fifth-year senior Jack Watson wasn’t too far off O’Bryan’s pace as the Illinois native finished with a 16-over 304 on the weekend, good for 24th overall.
Fellow fifth-year senior Zach Balit matched Watson’s score with a 304.
Fifth-year senior Robert Jacobsen and freshman Ben Skogen rounded out Wisconsin’s score with a pair of 33-over 321 scores.