Final Results (.pdf)

PINE HILL, N.J. - The IUPUI men's golf team recorded a school record sixth tournament win, rallying from seven shots down to capture Monday's (Apr. 2) Penn Quaker Invitational at the par-71 Trump National Golf Club Philadelphia. IUPUI shot a first round 315 in the morning round before following up with a 298 in the afternoon to finish at 613, one shot better than host Penn.

"This golf course is hard. There's no bail outs. It's kind of like Wolf Run in that regard," IUPUI head coach John Andrews said. "At not one point in time did I think we were out of it.

"This team has an attitude that they're not going to lose. Senior leadership coming down the stretch (of tournaments) is really important. Today, (Michael) Davan birdied two holes coming in and (Michael) Powell had some birdies coming in."

However, it was sophomore Rob van de Vin who finished off the win with a birdie on the par-3 No. 5, rolling in a 11-footer to eventually provide the final margin. The Netherlands-native hit a low 6-iron over water into the wind, sticking the green to leave himself the birdie opportunity.

"I added a club," the sophomore said of his club choice after conferring with Andrews. "It was into the wind. I hit a 6-iron straight on a line. I wanted to keep it low because of the wind and I hit it perfectly."

With the tournament title, IUPUI remained undefeated this spring after previously winning the Don Benbow Invitational and Butler Spring Invitational. Individually, senior Michael Powell finished second overall at 151 (78-73) while van de Vin tied for third at 152 (80-72). Senior Michael Davan recovered from a shoddy opening round 86 to post an even par 71 in the evening and tied for 11th. For the second straight tournament, Davan broke his driver before the start of the event and was forced to play Monday without one.

After a picturesque setting for Sunday's practice round, conditions were far from favorable on Monday. Players had to endure 30 mph winds and cold temperatures in the morning round before it finally warmed up some in the afternoon.

"We knew it was going to be tough today. Everybody's scores were high in this tournament," Powell said. "I hit the ball pretty good and just didn't putt very good.

"Even though we didn't play good, we knew we were in the hunt."

Making the comeback became even more improbable was that senior Ben Engle had to withdraw midway through his second round due to injury.

"He's always been there in the clutch," Powell said of his classmate. Powell saw his teammate being carted back to the clubhouse, but put it on Davan and himself to shoulder the load from there.

"Davan and I saw each other right after that and said we needed to make some birdies coming in," Powell said. "Birdies out there were at a premium. To get one was good, but to get two was nearly impossible and to get three was almost unheard of.

"(Without Engle) I knew we were still good enough to win. We just had to grind that much more."

The one-day, 36-hole format was also an adjustment for the entire field.

"It was weird," Powell said. "Usually you get a chance to rest, get a good night's sleep and regroup before your final round. That wasn't the case today.

"Every shot counts that much more in a one day tournament."

Sophomore Jose Pablo Segurola capped the Jaguars' lineup at 158 (76-82) while Engle carded an 81 in the morning before bowing out in the afternoon. Penn freshman Austin Powell won medalist honors at 147 while the Quakers finished second at 614 (308-306).

IUPUI eclipsed the single-season tournament championship record, previously held by the 2004-05 squad. The Jaguars will seek the team's seventh tournament win of the year when they tee it up at the NYX Hoosier Invitational in Bloomington, Ind. on Apr. 7-8.

Team Results
1. IUPUI - 315-298=613 (+45)
2. Penn - 308-306=614 (+46)
t-3. Princeton - 328-306=634 (+66)
t-3. Iona - 327-307=634 (+66)
5. Lehigh - 320-318=638 (+70)
6. St. Francis (Pa.) - 325-314=639 (+71)
7. Fordham - 328-313=641 (+73)
8. George Washington - 321-321=642 (+74)
9. Monmouth - 322-328=650 (+82)
10. Hofstra - 340-311=651 (+83)
11. St. Peter's - 343-314=657 (+89)
12. Franklin & Marshall - 335-325=660 (+92)
13. Rutgers - 342-323=665 (+97)
14. Rider - 339-340=679 (+111)
15. St. Francis (N.Y.) - 357-367=724 (+156)

Individual Results
2. Michael Powell - 78-73=151 (+9)
t-3. Rob van de Vin - 80-72=152 (+10)
t-11. Michael Davan - 86-71=157 (+15)
t-16. Jose Pablo Segurola - 76-82=158 (+16)
DNF. Ben Engle - 81-WD