COLUMBUS, Ind. (Sept. 30) – The Denison University men's golf team secured the team title at the 2024 Dan Quayle Match Play Tournament. The two-day, three-round event was hosted by DePauw University at Otter Creek Golf Course in Indiana.
Monday Recap
The Big Red earned the team title at the event by securing two match play wins on Monday.
After play was suspended Sunday with the semifinals unfinished, Denison claimed a 4-2 victory over fourth-seeded Wabash to advance to the championship round.
Denison would square off with Wittenberg in the finals. Both teams secured three wins, which means the champion would come down to tiebreakers. Both teams were even in the number of holes won, thus the next tiebreaker came back to the stroke play round played on Sunday, which Denison held the best score.
Owen Blakely,
Andrew Gallagher and
Drew Brasky picked up victories in the championship match versus the Tigers. Blakely and Gallagher won 3&2 while Brasky won one up.
"This was the definition of a team win. From stroke play through match play, the team was bought in and playing for each other," said head coach
Lauren Grogan. "We emphasized more than ever every single shot and hole matters. All 6 men were in it until the end and with the tie breakers ultimately it came back to stroke play to determine the championship match. It was a battle out there and we are so proud of the grit and fight of the group."
Sunday Recap
Playing for seeding to open play on Sunday, the Big Red turned in one of the best rounds in program history. Denison turned in a four-under team score of 284 to earn the tournament's top seed as things moved into match play. That total put them three shots ahead of Wittenberg in qualifying for match play.
Gallagher led the way with a first place finish. He carded a five-under 67 in the stroke play round. The round gave him medalist honors for the stroke play portion of the event. Gallagher finished with five birdies and an eagle during the round, which tied for the third lowest round by a Denison golfer.
Nicholas Viana and
Jack Yurosek both shot even during the round. Their respective scores of 72 tied them for seventh place.
Drew Brasky and
John Yavari made it five members of the Big Red in the top 10. They both shot rounds of 73 to tie for ninth place. Yavari's round, which featured four birdies, was also a career best.
Owen Blakely finished tied for 12th place after shooting a 74.
By virtue of securing the best team score during the stroke play round, Denison took the top seed into the Match Play portion of competition. The Big Red would face off with fourth-seeded Wabash Red team in the opening round of match play.
Up Next: Denison concludes its fall season with the O'Briant Jensen Invitational in Greensboro, N.C. on Oct. 28-29. The event will take place at The Cardinal by Pete Dye.
Sunday – Stroke Play Qualifying Round
Fin. Team Total Par
1 Denison........................ 284 -4
2 Wittenberg..................... 287 -1
3 DePauw Black................... 291 +3
4 Wabash Red..................... 297 +9
5 DePauw Gold.................... 300 +12
6 Spalding....................... 303 +15
7 Wabash White................... 307 +19
8 Rose-Hulman.................... 322 +34
