He added, “As a result, the 18hole round led to many head-to-head finishes. We started the round solidly, holding the lead through 11 holes. Even though we made some bogies at the end, our fifth-place finish proved that we could compete with the best teams in college golf.”
“Both the 1969 and 2005 teams set the foundation for years of success in recruiting and visibility for the program,” said head coach Casey Lubahn. “Each teams’ impact will certainly be wellnoticed for years to come.”
“The future of our team is bright because of the quality young men in our program,” stated Lubahn. “They are working hard and really searching for ways to take their games to the next level.” Lubahn continued, “Every team member is becoming more and more mentally tougher with each passing week – and that is a byproduct of the strong culture they have helped create.” With such a robust culture, the Michigan State Spartans enjoyed a successful fall campaign last year, as they contended for tournament victories on three separate occasions and created memories that will be cherished long after their collegiate careers have concluded.
Close Calls, Near Misses, and Longstanding Memories Last fall, the Spartans competed in five NCAA tournaments and 18
MAY / J U N E
2012
With the fifth-place showing, the Spartans earned top-ten finishes in every event they participated in last fall, including a tie-for-ninth performance at the Rees Jones Invitational, which occurred at the nationally acclaimed Rees Jones Signature Course in Daufuskie Island, South Carolina. The course has previously been recognized by Golf Digest as one of America’s top 100 greatest courses.
Photo courtesy of Michigan State University
Hired in 2011 to help Michigan State once again become consistent Big Ten competitors, Coach Lubahn, a 2004 graduate of MSU and one of the program’s most dependable performers, with a career scoring average of 75, believes his current team is capable of contending for tournament titles in the near future.
Chris Mory earned top-three finishes in three of the events. Despite achieving a runner-up finish at the Fossum Invitational, a third-place showing at the Wolverine Invitational, and a tie-for-first finish at October’s Georgetown Intercollegiate, Coach Lubahn was most proud of his team’s performance at a tournament hosted by the University of Toledo. “Our best showing was at the Inverness Intercollegiate,” said Lubahn. “We had been playing quite well before the Intercollegiate and were looking forward to competing in that event, but, unfortunately, the tournament was delayed by storms and reduced to 18 holes.” •
The Spartans’ first tournament of the year, the Fossum Invitational, was hosted by MSU and contested at East Lansing’s Forest Akers Golf Course, a 7,013yard, par 72 layout, last September. Meanwhile, the Wolverine Invitational was held at Ann Arbor’s University of Michigan Golf Course, which is situated near U of M’s campus. Designed by legendary course architect, Alister Mackenzie, the 6,687-yard-long, par 71 course features a variety of challenges – tight fairways, a hilly terrain, and fast, silky greens. “It was a pleasure to watch the squad compete on each of these courses and to travel with the team and witness their friendships and bonds with one another grow throughout the season,” said Lubahn. “We had so many fantastic memories last fall, which I believe all team members will cherish for the rest of their lives.”
MICHIGAN GOLFER MAGAZINE