Men’s Golf Returns to Regional Play in 1999-00 – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
May 26, 2000
%^$Buckeyes Return to Regional
%^$ After failing to qualify for the regional field in 1999, Ohio State was one of six District IV%^$ schools to qualify for the 2000 NCAA Central Regional, hosted by Southwest Texas at the%^$ par-72, 6,870 yard Victoria Country Club in Victoria, Texas May 18-20. OSU was joined in%^$ Victoria by Big Ten schools Northwestern, Minnesota, Michigan and instate MAC schools Kent%^$ State and Toledo. A total of 421 participants competed at the regional. The top nine teams%^$ advanced to the championship final May 31-June 3 at the Grand National Golf Complex in%^$ Opelika, Ala., hosted by Auburn.%^$
%^$ Ohio State shot a three-round total of 874 at the regional to place 15th in the field of 27.%^$ David Wagenseller (So., Wilmington, Ohio/Wilmington) led the Buckeyes, shooting a 217 (+4)%^$ to tie him for 40th place.%^$
%^$ The University of Texas won the event with a score of 847 (-5), edging out Kent State by%^$ two strokes. Kent State’s Jon Mills was the medalist, shooting a 202 (-11), five shots better than%^$ Oklahoma’s Cody Freedman.%^$
%^$Other Highlights:
%^$OSU Sweeps at FirstEnergy Invite
%^$ Ohio State claimed both the team and individual titles at the FirstEnergy Invitational in%^$ Akron, Ohio (April 22-23). The Buckeyes fired in an 869 to finish five strokes ahead of Kent%^$ State. OSU had three of the top four finishers at the invitational, hosted by the University of%^$ Akron at the renowned Firestone Country Club.%^$
%^$ Wagenseller was the medalist, carding a 214 to edge out Kent State’s Ben Curtis’ total of%^$ 215.%^$
%^$ Wagenseller was the first OSU medalist since Ryan Armour won the Big Ten tournament in%^$ 1998 and the 35th since 1974. Mike Austin (Jr., Burton, Mich/Flint Powers Catholic) and%^$ Jason Oien (So., Westerville, Ohio/Westerville North) tied for third place with a score of 216.%^$
%^$ The win marked the 151st tournament victory for coach Jim Brown at Ohio State and the%^$ 36th different tournament the Buckeyes have won under him.%^$
%^$Austin, Wagenseller All-Big Ten
%^$ Wagenseller and Austin became the 78th and 79th Buckeyes to be named all-Big Ten during%^$ Coach Brown’s 27 year tenure.%^$
%^$ OSU joined Northwestern and Purdue as the only schools in the conference to have two%^$ golfers named to the team of 10.Wagenseller’s stroke average of 73.2 over 39 rounds led the%^$ Buckeyes. He was named Big Ten Golfer of the Week after he captured first place at the%^$ FirstEnergy Invitational in Akron, Ohio (April 22-23) with a score of 214, including a%^$ tournament-low round of 68 in the first round of the invite, to become the first OSU medalist since%^$ Ryan Armour won the Big Ten tournament in 1998. Wagenseller’s FirstEnergy win capped off%^$ three consecutive weekends that saw him card his best career finish. His career-low round of 67%^$ came in the first round of the Red River Classic (Oct. 11-12). He was top OSU finisher in seven%^$ of 11 tournaments.%^$
%^$ Austin’s stroke average of 74.4 over 33 rounds was second on the team. His top finish of%^$ the season came at FirstEnergy Invitational, where he placed third with a score of 216. He also%^$ fired in his career-low round of 70 in the first round of the FirstEnergy. Austin was the top OSU%^$ finisher at the Big Ten Championships, placing seventh with a score of 297.%^$
%^$Strong Showings
%^$ In addition to the FirstEnergy win, OSU twice finished as runner-up at an invitational. Ohio%^$ State opened the season with a second place finish at the Northern Intercollegiate Invitational in%^$ Lafayette, Ind (Oct. 1). The Buckeyes also placed second when they hosted the 31st Kepler%^$ Invitational at the Scarlet Course (April 14-15). Ohio State placed in the top five at four%^$ additional invitations: Matlock Invitational (5 of 18), Marshall Invitational (T5 of 19), Fossum%^$ Invitational (5 of 18) and the Big Ten Championships (4 of 11).%^$
%^$Academic Honors
%^$ In addition to being named all-Big Ten for his performance on the course, Austin also was%^$ recognized by the confernce for his achievements in the classroom and was named Academic%^$ All-Big Ten.%^$
%^$ Austin was named as an OSU scholar-athlete for the third consecutive year. Sophomore%^$ Jason Oien and Chris Emanuel (Jr., Ottumwa, Iowa/Oregon State) were honored as%^$ scholar-athletes for the second year in a row%^$
%^$Familiar Roster
%^$ There will be plenty of familiar faces on the roster next season. Ohio State will return all 12%^$ members of the 1999-00 edition of the Buckeyes this fall. Austin, Emanuel, Scott Miller and Jeff%^$ Olsen return as seniors. Wagenseller, Ryan Dennis, Noah Lucas, Jason Oien and Scott Smith will%^$ compete in their junior campaigns and Justin Collins, Robert Hasman and Joe Leonard will be%^$ sophomores.
