Men’s Golf Plays Host To Kepler Intercollegiate – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
April 15, 2004
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s golf team returns home to compete in the 35th annual Robert Kepler Intercollegiate.
The Ohio State University will play host to the 54-hole event at the par 72, 7,251-yard Ohio State University Scarlet Golf Course.
The 54-hole tournament begins with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and concludes Sunday with teams teeing off at 8 a.m.
Competing along with the Buckeyes will be Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Indiana, Kansas State, Marshall, Kent State, Miami, Michigan State, Michigan, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue, Illinois, Iowa,Toledo,Wisconsin and Xavier.
About Ohio State
The Buckeyes boast an overall record of 82-43-1 and are coming off their first tournament victory since the 2003 Robert Kepler Intercollegiate. This week the Buckeyes will be gunning for back-to-back tournament titles as they look to defend their Kepler title.
Last time out
The Ohio State men’s golf team concluded competition at the 2004 Marshall Invitational Saturday and claimed the team title for the 17th time in program history. The event hosted by Marshall University, was held at the par 71, 6,466-yard Guyan Golf and Country Club in Huntington, W. Va.
The Buckeyes entered final round competition atop the leaderboard and finished final round play with a season-best, three-round total of 847 to capture their first tournament title since the 2003 Robert Kepler Intercollegiate. The win also marked the fifth time the Buckeyes have finished in the Top 5 this season. Individually, the Buckeyes placed four players in the Top 10. Leading the way was senior Kevin Hall who finished the tournament with a final round score of 65, which tied a tournament record as he captured medallist honors. Hall’s first-place finish and final round score of 65 are both career-bests.
The Buckeyes also received strong outputs from freshman Colin Biles and Scott Anderson both of whom tied for sixth. Zach Doran rounded out the Top 10 as he tied for 10th.
Recapping the 2003 Kepler Intercollegiate
The Ohio State men’s golf team captured their 23rd Kepler Intercollegiate title after firing a third round score of 302 to finish the tournament with a three-round total of 897.
The 34th annual Kepler Intercollegiate was held at the par-72, 7,258-yard Ohio State University Scarlet Course.
Zach Doran, paced the Buckeyes throughout the tournament as he finished with a three-round total of 220, tying him for second. Kevin Hall posted a solid third round score of even par to help the Buckeyes ward off Illinois. Hall finished the tournament tied for 13th with a score of 224.
Hall Named co-big ten men’s golfer of the week
Ohio State senior golfer Kevin Hall, who recently was featured on www.bigten.org earned his second league honor this spring as he was named Co-Big Ten Golfer of the Week with Indiana’s Jeff Overton. Hall earned the recognition after his performance at the 2004 Marshall Invitational April 9-10 in Huntington, W. Va.
During the event, Hall led the Buckeyes to their first tournament title since the 2003 Kepler Intercollegiate as he captured medallist honors with a three-round total of 206. Hall captured medallist honors thanks to a tournament record 65 in the final round of play. Hall’s third round score, first-place finish and three-round tournament total were all career-bests.
Hall posts tournament record
This past weekend at the 2004 Marshall Invitational senior Kevin Hall captured medallist honors as he fired a three-round total of 206 to win the individual crown. Hall claimed his first collegiate medallist honor with the help of a final round score of 65, which tied a tournament record to propell the Buckeyes to their first tournament title since the 2003 Robert Kepler Intercollegiate.
Four Buckeyes finish in top 10
This past weekend en route to Ohio State’s first-place finish at the 2004 Marsahall Invitational Buckeye golfers Kevin Hall, Colin Biles, Scott Anderson and Zach Doran placed in the Top 10. With four individuals placing in the Top 10 the Buckeyes set a season-best, three-round tournament total of 847.
Shooting for consistency
During the 2002-03 season the Ohio State men’s golf team was a model of consistency by finishing in the Top 5 six times. The 2003-04 season has followed a similar path as the Buckeyes have finished in the Top 5 five times this season.
Firing in the red
Last season the Ohio State men’s golf team shot under par 29 times last season. This season, however, the Buckeyes have surpassed thanks to five rounds under par at the 2004 Marshall Invitational giving the Buckeyes 30 rounds under par this season.
A glance at the kepler
The Kepler tournament was first played in 1969 and is named for the late Robert Kepler, who served as Ohio State’s golf coach from 1938 until 1965.
Since its inception, the Kepler has been won by just six schools – Ohio State, Indiana, Kent State, Miami (Ohio) and UNLV. The Buckeyes have won the title 23 times, including six straight between 1974 and ’79 and nine consecutive between 1981 and ’89.
“We’ve had some of the best players in the country play here,” Coach Jim Brown said. “Lately it’s been more of a district four tournament and probably the biggest qualifier for the NCAA tournament because all of the best teams from the district are here.”
The Kepler is played on the Ohio State Scarlet Course. The 7,250-yard, par 72 course hosted the 1995 NCAA Championships as well as the 1997 NCAA Women’s Championships and the 2002 NCAA Championships. This spring the Scarlet Course will once again play host to another major collegiate tournament as Ohio State welcomes the 2004 Big Ten Women’s tournament and the 2006 NCAA Women’s Championships.
Buckeyes begin Spring season with back-to-back Big ten Honors
The Buckeyes’ strong start to the spring portion of the 2003-04 season has been fueled by impressive outings by Ohio State seniors Zach Doran and Kevin Hall.
Doran opened the season with a strong showing at the 2004 SunTrust Gator Invitational where he tied for 15th, while firing a three-round total of 217, to capture the first Big Ten Golfer of the Week honor in 2004.
In the Buckeyes’ second tournament of the spring season, Hall paced the Buckeyes to a third-place finish among a field of 15 collegiate squads and tied for seventh. The Cincinnati native posted his lowest finish of the season with a three-round total of 215 to earn the second Big Ten Golfer of the Week honor in 2004.
Doran Competes in 2003 College All-America Golf Classic
At the conclusion of the 2003 fall season Ohio State senior Zach Doran took part in the 2003 College All-America Golf Classic.
The tournament, hosted by the Sun Bowl Association, was played at the Par-71, 6,781-yard El Paso Country Club. Each university is awarded a $1,000 scholarship if a golfer from that school competes in the tournament.
In a tournament, which displayed 26 of the nation’s top collegiate golfers, Doran tied for 22nd with a three-round total of 214.
Noting the fall season
Ohio State opened the 2003-04 season with a third-place finish at the Northern Intercollegiate in Ann Arbor, Mich., site of the 2004 Big Ten Championships. The Buckeyes finished the tournament with a three-round total of 874.
The Buckeyes posted their best finish of the season in the final tournament of the season as they finished second at the 2003 Landfall Classic.
Brett Williams established himself as the top golfer of the fall, competing in nine rounds and averaging 71.8 strokes per round. Williams’ best finish came at the 2003 Landfall Classic were he carded a three-round total of 213.
Noting the Buckeyes
Scott Anderson … tied for sixth with teammate Colin Biles at the 2004 Marshall Invitational … in his 2004 debut, Anderson posted a career-best finish at the 2004 Xavier Intercollegiate as he tied for fourth with a three-round total of 216 … tied for 43rd at the 2003 Barona Intercollegiate with a three-round total of 218 … competed as an individual in the 2003 Northern Intercollegiate … during the tournament, Anderson tied for 10th with a three-round total of 215 … during the 2002-03 season, Anderson placed 10th at the 2003 Kepler Intercollegiate to help the Buckeyes to their 23rd Kepler title … posted his career-best finish at the Matlock Classic where he finished tied for seventh … fired a career low at the Matlock of two-under-par, 214.
Zach Doran … finished in the Top 10 at the 2004 Marshall Invitational as he posted a three-round total of 216 … fired a season best 66 in the final round of the 2004 Xavier Collegiate Classic to finish the event tied for fourth … earned Big Ten Golfer of the Week following his performance at the 2004 Gator Invitational … during the event, Doran tied for 15th with a three-round total of 217 … tied for 32nd at the 2003 Barona Intercollegiate with a three-round total of 215 … opened the season with a strong showing at the 2003 Northern Intercollegiate as he posted a three-round total of 220 to finish the event tied for 20th … during the 2002-03 season, Doran was named first team All-Big Ten for his consistent play throughout the 2002-03 season … tied for 11th at the 2003 Big Ten Championships.
Kevin Hall … captured medallist honors at the 2004 Marshall Invitational as he fired a three-round total of 206 … on the final day of competition at the Marshall Invitational, Hall tied the tournament record with a 65 … tied for 17th at the 2004 Schenkel Invitational with a three-round total of 218 … tied for 12th at the 2004 Xavier Intercollegiate with a three-round total of 221 … was the second Buckeye to earn Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors following his performance at the 2004 Matlock Classic … during the event, Hall posted his best finish of the 2003-04 season as he tied for seventh with a three-round total of 215.
Colin Biles … notched a Top 10 finish at the 2004 Marshall Invitational as he fired a three-round total of 214 … posted a season-best round of 67 during round two competition at the Marshall Invitational … posted a season-best finish at the 2004 Schenkel Invitational as he fired a three-total of 214 … tied for 11th at the 2004 Matlock Classic and finished with a three round total of 216 … tied for 20th at the 2004 Gator Invitational in Gainesville, Fla. as he posted a three-round total of 218 … in his first collegiate tournament as an Ohio State freshman Biles competed at the Northern Intercollegiate and fired a three-round total of 226 to finish the tournament tied for 47th.
30 years and counting
This past season, men’s head golf coach Jim Brown completed his 30th year at the helm for the Buckeyes. Throughout his tenure, Brown has established the Ohio State men’s golf program as one of the top programs throughout the country. Since his first year in 1973, Brown has directed the Buckeyes to 16 Big Ten titles and one national championship, while compiling an overall record of 5,196-1,388-29.
Meet Coach Brown
Now in his 31st year as the Buckeyes head coach, Jim Brown has built Ohio State golf into one of the finest and most respected collegiate programs in the nation.
Under Brown’s guidance, the Buckeyes have qualified for the NCAA tournament 29 times, 11 times finishing in the Top 10, while claiming one national championship in 1979. Ohio State also has dominated Big Ten play, winning 16 conference titles.
When the Buckeyes won the national title in 1979, it marked the first time in nearly two decades a northern school claimed the championship. Brown proved the 1979 season was no fluke as the program finished fourth in the NCAA’s in 1980, 1983, 1987, and again in 1997.
Brown earned National Coach-of-the-Year honors in both 1979 and 1986, and was named District IV Coach of the Year in consecutive seasons from 1977 through 1980 and again from 1982 through 1987.
His greatest personal achievement, however, came in 1989, when he was elected to the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame. Two years later, he was inducted into The Ohio State University Athletic Hall of Fame.
The winningest coach in Ohio State golf history, Brown has tutored one NCAA individual champ (Clark Burroughs – 1985), 11 Big Ten medalists, 86 All-Big Ten selections, 14 first team All-Americans and 49 other All-America honorees during his stay on the Columbus campus.
He is married to Tina Lankard and has two children, Julie, who is an Ohio State grad, and Jeff, a former member of the golf team and 1999 Ohio State graduate.
Up Next
The Ohio State men’s golf team returns to action April 26-27 to compete in the Fossum Invitational in East Lansing, Mich.
