Oct. 6, 2008

2008 GLIAC Championship Results

Bay City, Mich. - It took 54 holes to crown a champion at the 2008 GLIAC Men's Golf Championship and when Grand Valley State's Matt Johnson sank his bogie putt on the 18th and final hole the Lakers had won the third GLIAC men's golf title in school history. GVSU shot a team score and GLIAC 54-hole tournament record 863 (-1) to finish one stroke ahead of defending champion Findlay (864). Wayne State finished third (866) and Saginaw Valley State fourth (870). The event was played at the par 72 - 6,860-yard Bay City Country Club in Bay City, Mich.

Grand Valley State and Findlay entered the final round tied for third (578) and the Oilers eventually took a seven stroke lead (-8) midway through the final round. However, the Lakers kept chipping away at the lead and following a three-hole swing on holes 12-15, Grand Valley State crawled to within one stroke (-3 to -2) of the lead. GVSU carded a team score of -3 (285) on the final 18, while Findlay shot a -2 (286).

Senior Tyler Hering (Muskegon, Mich.) shot a one-under par 215 and finished tied for sixth overall. Hering followed a three-under par 69 on the second 18 with a two-under par 70 on the final 18. Senior Matt Johnson (Haslett, Mich.) finished with an even-par 216 (T-8th), which included a three-under par second round (69) and an even par (72) final round. Freshman Ben Brooks (Cedar Spring, Mich.) shot a clutch three-under par 69 on the final 18 for a 54-hole total of 217 (T-10th). Junior Josh Burt (Holt, Mich.) finished tied for 12th with a 220, while Matt Malloure finished tied for 16th with a 221.

"The kids battled the entire 54-hole event," said head coach Don Underwood. "This was a true team win when you can place five golfers among the top 16 for a conference championship. We needed every member of the team to step up and make a shot during the tournament."

The team title was the Lakers' second in the last three years and the third in school history.