Michigan Golf Teams Great Start to Spring Schedule

By Tom Lang

The University of Michigan Women’s and Men’s golf teams have had a solid early spring season, to put it mildly.

The women have notched a team win and two second places (Tulane Classic and College of Charleston Invitational) by the leadership of senior Ashley Lau winning two of the events as medalist/co-medalist, while the men won the Desert Mountain Collegiate in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Lau (74-76-71) rallied from behind to tie for first in mid-February at the Tulane Classic in New Orleans. She then won the 50th VyStaff Florida Invitational in early March, leading the Wolverines to a share of the team title with host Florida.

After setting her career-best with a 67 (3-under) in her first round, Lau used a new career-low 66 (-4) in the final round to record her first sub-par 54-hole tournament total of 203 (7-under), to lower the school record by two shots. It was Lau’s third career individual win. She also earned a late add to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

"Ashley continues her run of great golf and I'm so happy for her,” said U-M assistant coach A.J. Newell, who is filling in for head coach Jan Dowling while she’s on maternity leave. “She's having fun and that really shines through in her play."

The Men Wolverines won the Desert Mountain Collegiate it hosts each year. The program also won it in 2017.

With three Wolverines finishing among the top 20, the team rallied the last day to post a 284 (4-under) final round total and an 873 tally for a four-shot win.

Freshman Hunter Thomson finished second and tied his career-best with a 215 (-1) total -- his fourth sub-par 54-hole total in seven events. His closing 70 (-2), along with reigning Michigan Amateur champ and senior Patrick Sullivan's 69 (-3), Michigan was able to close with an 873 and move up four spots to win by four shots over UAB (877).