Men's Golf Tie For Fossum/Spartan Invitaitonal Top Team Honors

The Ferris State University men's golf team continued its solid play this spring season as the Bulldogs fired a tourney third-round best 289 score at Michigan State's 42nd annual Fossum/Spartan Invitational on Sunday (April 25) to claim a share of top team honors with a three-round total of 879 (+15).

The Bulldogs, who matched host Michigan State's 879 score on the par 72, 7,013-yards Forest Akers West Golf Course in East Lansing, Mich., produced rounds of 299, 291, and 289 in the two-day event as seven schools competed in the tournament.

Both Ferris State and Michigan State attempted a one-hole playoff on the 18th hole which would result in a 16-all tie.  Assistant coach Chris Pulver coached the team this weekend as head coach Mike Mignano and assistant Dr. Phil Walling directed the women's golf team at the 2010 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Women's Golf Championships this weekend in Big Rapids, Mich.

Senior Kurt Valley (Bay City/Western) was the low scorer for Ferris State as he shot an even-par 216 score (72-72-72=216, E) to finish six strokes behind medalist Josh Gallman of USC Upstate.  Gallman (210, -6) and Michigan State's Jack Newman (214, -2) were the only individuals to register under par stroke totals.  Valley's performance marked his eighth top-20 place finish this season and third among the top five golfers.

Junior Garrett Simons (Grand Ledge) captured fourth place, just one stroke in back of Valley with a 217 (70-73-74=217, +1).  Two other Bulldogs also earned a top-five placing as senior Eric Lilleboe (Okemos/Lansing Catholic Central) tied for fifth place as a result of turning in a 220-stroke total (78-70-72=220, +4).  Junior Joe Brown (St. Ignace/LaSalle), who was competing as a non-scoring individual, gained a three-way share of ninth place by tallying a 221 score (68-78-75=221, +5). 

Senior Craig Burrows (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Olmstead Falls) notched his fifth top-20 place effort of this season following a 17th-place tying 226 score (79-76-71=226, +10).  Fellow senior Pat Steffes (Fond du Lac, Wis./St. Mary's Spring) had a 233 total (79-76-78=233, +17) and was one of three players to earn a share of 32nd-place honors.

Ferris State, which produced three second-place finishes in its three previous tournaments prior to this one, has presently either won or tied for first-place honors in four tournaments to date this 2009-10 season.

The Bulldogs will now await a possible bid to the 2010 NCAA Midwest/South Central Super Regional to be held May 3-5 at The Territory golf course in Duncan, Okla.  Cameron University will be serving as regional host.