Golfers take second at MAC

by Laurie Duffy
Staff Writer          

For the second time in two weeks, an Ohio golf team brought home the runner-up trophy from the Mid-American Conference Championship.

  The men's golf team, which shot a 72-hole total of 1,174 at The Medallion Club in Westerville, Ohio, ended the tournament 25 shots behind Toledo's 1,149. This is the Rockets' second MAC title, with the first coming in 1964.

  The individual MAC title ended a little closer. Miami golfer Eric Phipps shot 72 and pared the fourth playoff hole to beat Toledo golfer Sean McTernan for medallist honors. Both Phipps and McTernan received All-MAC First Team honors.

  Two Ohio golfers, Erik Herberth and Jeff Chadwell saved their best golf of the year for the third and fourth rounds of the tournament where the Bobcats stormed back from a four-stroke deficit to take second place. Chadwell shot 73-74-68-71 to finish fourth overall while Herberth, a First Team All-MAC selection, shot 66 in the final round to go along with 73-72-79 for seventh place.

  "I had so many birdie opportunities, and I knocked a few in" Chadwell said. "I hit a lot of fairways and hit the right spots around the green."

  Ohio coach Bob Cooley said the final round was the best the team played in the MAC since he has been the coach. This was the highest finish in 20 years.

  "This is the best team in my 14 years of coaching," Cooley said. "It takes all five guys. They had a lot of pressure on them, but they stepped up and shot four-under."

  Ohio also fought off a late-tournament charge from Kent State. The Golden Flashes played The Medallion Club five-under par thanks to Freshman of the Year award winner Steve Lohmeyer's 67 and Peter Laws' 66.

  Chadwell said going into the final round the team knew Kent State was chasing them and Miami was in reach.

  "We were really motivated and everyone was swinging well," Chadwell said. "We knew we couldn't beat Toledo because we were so far behind, so second was our goal after the first round."

  Toledo golfer Brad Heaven took home the MAC Golfer of the Year plaque, and Bowling Green golfer Justin Gillham was named Sportsman of the Year in his final year of collegiate competition.

  In addition to player awards given at the MAC Tournament ceremony, Cooley was voted as the Kermit Blosser MAC Coach of the Year for the first time in his tenure at Ohio. Cooley played for the Bobcats under Blosser from 1969-71.

  "I was shocked to win it and I am honored because it's named after Kermit Blosser," Cooley said. "Going from finishing ninth last year to second this year, the kids really came through."