Friday, November 22, 2024

Thomson Earns Trip to Canadian Open, Guides U-M to Runner-up Finish at Canadian Collegiate – University of Michigan Athletics

Must read

» Aided by a final-round 287 (-1), Michigan tallied an 852 (-12) 54-hole total and earned a season-best runner-up finish at the inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational from the Oviinbryd Golf Club.

» After opening with back-to-back 66s (-6) on the first day, Hunter Thomson used a closing 70 (-2) to win his second career medalist honor with a 202 (-14) total. With the win, he earned an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open (June 3-5) to be played at the TPC of Toronto.

» U-M’s freshman duo of RJ Arone (214, -2) and Dean Muratore (216, E) helped the Wolverines place three among the top 25 as they tied for 14th and 21st, respectively.

» The Canadian Collegiate Invitational is the first NCAA D-I men’s golf tournament played in Canada

Site: MacTier, Ontario

Tournament: Canadian Collegiate Invitational

Course: Oviinbryd Club (par 72, 7,126 yards)

U-M Team Standing: T-2nd Place of 10 Teams (286-279-287/852, -12)

Top U-M Individual: Hunter Thomson, 1st (66-66-70/202, -14)

Next U-M Event: Fri-Sun., Sept. 20-22 — at OFCC/Illini Invitational (Olympia Fields, Ill.)

MACTIER, Ontario — With a 202 (-14) total, senior Hunter Thomson led from start to finish and earned his second career medalist honor Tuesday (Sept. 17), while guiding the University of Michigan men’s golf team to an 852 (-12) team total and season best runner-up finish at the inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational played at the Oviinbryd Golf Club.

In addition to his second career win, Thomson’s victory earns him an exemption from Golf Canada to play in the 2025 RBC Canadian Open (June 3-5) to be played at the TPC of Toronto. The Canadian Collegiate Invitational is the first NCAA Division I men’s golf tournament played in Canada.

With 18 pars, 15 birdies and three bogeys during Monday’s (Sept. 16) opening 36 holes, Calgary-native Thomson posted back-to-back 66s (-6) to build a four-shot lead heading into the final round. Four more birdies and a pair bogeys in his final 18 saw Thomson close with a 70 (-2) and hold on for the two-shot with at 202 (-14).

Thomson was a single shot away from tying his career-low of 201 (-15) carded at the 2024 Palmas del Mar Collegiate (Feb. 11-13), where he recorded his first career win. For the fourth time in his career and in his last 16 events, Thomson shot three straight sub-par tallies to record a sub-par 54-hole total, recoring his 18th career sub-par 54-hole total at the Oviinbryd Club (39 career events).

Behind Thomson’s play, freshmen RJ Arone and Dean Muratore helped the Maize and Blue place three among the top 25. Arone reset his career-low with a 214 (-2, 73-70-71), tying him for 14th, while Muratore posted an even-par 216 (71-71-74) to tie for 21st. Playing as an individual, redshirt-freshman Caden Pinckes had a career-best weekend as he carded and even-par 216 (71-73-72) to tie with Muratore for 21st.

After posting six of 12 events with three straight sub-par team tallies last season, the Wolverines posted their first this season after etching 286 (-2), 279 (-9) and 287 (-1) for the 852 (-12) total.

The Wolverines will have little rest before heading back out for one of their toughest challenges of the fall, taking to Olympia Fields, Ill., Friday through Sunday (Sept. 20-22) to participate in the prestigious OFCC/Illini Invitational. The three-day, 54-hole event will be held at famed Olympia Fields’ North Course.

Final Team Standings


 1. Notre Dame         285-280-282 = 847 (-17)
 2. MICHIGAN           286-279-287 = 852
    Missouri           281-273-298 = 852
 4. Kent State         282-288-283 = 853
 5. Michigan State     289-287-282 = 858
 6. Penn State         290-289-285 = 864
 7. Washington State   295-294-292 = 881
 8. Rutgers            292-285-305 = 882
 9. Miami (Ohio)       295-291-297 = 883
10. British Columbia   290-299-308 = 897

Top Individuals


 1. HUNTER THOMSON, U-M                   66-66-70 = 202 (-14)    
 2. Isaiah Ibit, Kent State               67-69-68 = 204
 3. Ashton McCulloch, Michigan State      69-68-68 = 205
 4. Bryce Reed, Kent State                69-72-66 = 207
 5. Veikka Viskari, Missouri              69-67-72 = 208
    Ben Borgida, Washington State         74-68-66 = 208
 7. Weston Jones, Rutgers                 68-68-73 = 209
 8. Dagbjartur Sigurbrandsson, Missouri   69-68-73 = 210
    Nate Stevens, Notre Dame              73-67-70 = 210
    James Newton, Kent State              76-66-68 = 210

Michigan Individuals


  1. Hunter Thomson   66-66-70 = 202 (-14)
T14. RJ Arone         73-70-71 = 214 (-2)
T21. Dean Muratore    71-71-74 = 216 (E)
T34. Jack O'Donnell   76-72-76 = 224
 50. Ben Hoagland     81-82-72 = 235
T21. Caden Pinckes    71-73-72 = 216* (E)

* played as individual

Latest article