The Wisconsin men’s golf team traveled to Pennsylvania this past weekend to compete in the Big Ten Championships.
The tournament was hosted at the historic Philadelphia Cricket Club, the oldest country club in the U.S. The course boasts great history having hosted two U.S. Opens and various other championships.
Head Coach Michael Burcin’s lineup consisted of senior Jordan Hahn, junior Pete Kuhl, sophomores Griffin Barela and Sam Anderson, freshman Cameron Frazier, and senior Brett Robinson, who served as an alternate.
In his last time out, Barela fired three straight rounds in the 60’s to earn a career-best finish at the Hawkeye Invitational. He finished the tournament at 10-under par, seven strokes better than his previous 54-hole scoring record. Adding to his stellar second season, Barela’s performance marks the third time in ten starts this season that he has led the Badgers in individual scoring.
Barela looked to improve on his already impressive season scoring average of 72.62 in Philadelphia to surpass Hahn with an average of 71.24. Doing this would move him into first place on the program’s all-time single-season stroke average list.
But the City of Brotherly Love did not pay homage to the Badgers. Finishing in dead last, the Badgers ended the week at a team total of 77-over par. The Illinois Fighting Illini dominated the championship with a five-stroke victory that carried them to their fifth straight Big Ten title.
The Badgers were once again led by the steady play of Barela and Hahn. Barela led the team individually for the second tournament in a row by carding rounds of 72, 79 and 72 to finish the tournament tied for 24th place. Hahn showed his consistency with rounds of 75, 77 and 73, good for a T-31 finish.
Hahn’s performance secured him the lowest career scoring average and single-season scoring average in UW history and No. 2 all-time in wins. Hahn will forever be cemented in Wisconsin men’s golf history.
Be on the lookout for the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship selection show on the GOLF channel, Wednesday at 8 p.m. CT as the Badgers hope for a spot to play for it all.
