Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
FIGHTING IRISH GOLF CLASSIC
Clouser Wins, Men's Golf Second at Fighting Irish
September 30, 2014 | Men's Golf
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- McCormick Clouser locked up his first collegiate win Tuesday and the Ball State men's golf team moved up to second on the final leaderboard at the Fighting Irish Golf Classic.
Clouser, who opened the tournament two days ago with a career-best round of 66, closed it out Tuesday with an even-par 71. The senior from Bluffton, Ind., finished the event with a career-low 54-hole total of 4-under par 209. He entered the day tied for the lead with Notre Dame's Cory Sciupider and ended it two strokes ahead of him.
“My first round kind of carried me through the tournament,” Clouser said. “I played really well in that round, and then yesterday I managed to post a good number even though I didn't putt as well. Today was a tougher day, and I played pretty solid the whole day. I didn't make a ton of big mistakes.”
Ball State's Michael Makris posted the lowest final round of any player in the field with a 68, while Albert Jennings generated some excitement of his own when he holed out from 85 yards for a birdie on the third hole and followed it up with a hole in one on the par-3 fourth.
The Cardinals matched tournament champion Michigan State for the low team round of the day at 291 to finish with a 54-hole score of 877 (+25). The Spartans won with a score of 863 (+11), while Ball State edged Long Beach State by one shot for second.
The tournament returned to Notre Dame's Warren Golf Course for the final round after Monday's second round was played at Lost Dunes Golf Club in Bridgman, Mich.
In addition to the 68 from Makris and 71 from Clouser, Ball State's lineup also featured a 73 from Michael VanDeventer and a pair of 79s from Johnny Watts and Zach Yinger. Jennings, competing as an individual, shot 75.
Makris, a Mishawaka native playing close to home, was the second Ball State golfer on the final leaderboard at 221 (+8). His closing 68 vaulted him 23 spots into a tie for 14th place, the best result so far in his freshman season.
“This is a golf course McCormick is very familiar with, and the same can be said for Michael (Makris),” Ball State coach Mike Fleck said. “To have those two perform at the level they did today played a big part in the ability of our team to move up.”
VanDeventer, another freshman, tied for 21st at 223 (+10) in his first collegiate tournament. He and Makris joined Watts to give the Cardinals three rookies in this week's lineup.
Clouser's individual title is the first for a Ball State men's golfer in a full-team event since Tyler Merkel at the Golf Pride Pinehurst Intercollegiate in March 2013. He logged his second top-five finish in three tournaments this fall and dropped his team-leading stroke average to 73.55.
“McCormick is continuing to build his confidence after a really good summer and a good start to the year,” Fleck said. “He is at a point where he feels comfortable with everything he is doing, and it shows in his results.”
Ball State now has three events remaining on its fall schedule. The Cardinals will travel next week to the Firestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, and will then host the Sagamore Fall Preview Oct. 13-14 at the Sagamore Golf Club in Noblesville, site of next spring's NCAA Regional.
