Huskers Drop Tight Matches in Florida

The Nebraska men’s golf team opened its competitive 2021 season with a pair of narrow losses at the Big Ten Match Play Championships on Friday at the Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, Fla.

The Huskers fell 3-2 to No. 5 seed Iowa on Friday morning, in a match that came down to the wire at the top spot between Husker Branden Meyer and Hawkeye Alex Schaake. Husker freshmen Gentry Scheve and Jack Lundin notched wins for the Big Red against the Hawkeyes. Scheve won 6&5 over Iowa senior Charles Jahn and Lundin secured a 5&4 victory over Hawkeye senior Benton Weinberg. 

 

Meyer matched Schaake stroke-for-stroke through 16 holes, before Schaake prevailed by winning the final two holes to claim the match 2 up.

“We met a solid and experienced Iowa team in match one and played them tough,” Nebraska Head Coach Mark Hankins said. “It came down to the last hole and unfortunately they nipped us 3-2. It’s unpredictable this time of year but our guys battled all day. I was impressed with our two freshmen, Jack and Gentry. They not only won their first matches of the day but did it convincingly.”

Nebraska moved on to face No. 7 seed Ohio State in the Friday afternoon’s consolation bracket. Lundin improved to 2-0 in his first Big Ten Match Play Championship by defeating OSU’s Grant Engle 4&2. Westenberger improved to 1-1 on the day by defeating Buckeye Patrick Schmucking 5&4. 

Elis Svard notched a win over Meyer 4&2 in the top spot, while Felix Kvarnstrom added a win over Badura 4&2 at the No. 3 spot in the match play lineup. Scheve took a loss to Ohio State’s Jackson Chandler 5&3 to complete the 3-2 team win for the Buckeyes.

“Ohio State played good golf in the afternoon,” Hankins said. “Jack and Tom both won by large margins, but we couldn’t get another half point to get the win. Overall, we are disappointed as a team, but that’s the nature of Match Play. We are a young team, and we grew a lot today. We’ll be ready to battle for two matches again tomorrow.”

Nebraska will be back in action Saturday morning at the Hammock Beach Resort with its third match of the championship set to begin at 7 a.m. (CT). The Huskers will play their final match of the tournament at Noon (CT). Live scoring throughout the tournament is available through GolfStat.com.

Round 1: Match Play Results: (3-2 Iowa)

Alex Schaake (IOWA) 2 up over Branden Meyer (NEB)

Gonzalo Leal Montero (IOWA) 3&2 over Tom Westenberger (NEB)

Mac McClear (IOWA) 4&2 over Caleb Badura (NEB)

Jack Lundin (NEB) 5&4 over Benton Weinberg (IOWA)

Gentry Scheve (NEB) 6&5 over Charles Jahn (IOWA)

Round 2 (Consolation): Match Play Results (3-2, Ohio State)

Elis Svard (OSU) 4&2 over Branden Meyer (NEB)

Tom Westenberger (NEB) 5&4 over Patrick Schmucking (OSU)

Felix Kvarnstrom (OSU) 4&2 over Caleb Badura (NEB)

Jack Lundin (NEB) 4&2 over Grant Engle (OSU)

Jackson Chandler (OSU) 5&3 over Gentry Scheve (NEB)