Medal Play Qualifying
Match Play First Day
RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif.---The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's golf team finished sixth in the consolation bracket at the Callaway Collegiate Match Play played at the Farms Golf Club. The Mocs dropped a 3-2 decision to Arizona State on Tuesday afternoon.
Leading by as much as 3-up, and for 14 of 16 holes, a birdie by ASU's Knut Borsheim on the final hole of his match with Derek Rende clinched the 3-2 win for Arizona State. Borsheim led 3-up after eight holes before Rende won five of the next nine to square the match before Borsheim's birdie won it for the Sun Devils.
Fredrik Qvicker had few problems in getting the Mocs on the scoreboard first with a 6&4 win over Spencer Fletcher. Qvicker won four of the first five holes before Fletcher won the sixth to cut the lead to 3-up. Qvicker quickly won three of the next four holes and breezed winning eight of 14 holes compared to just two for Fletcher.
The Sun Devils got on the board next at No. 1 with a 2&1 win for Stephan Gross over Ben Rickett. Rickett won two of the first four holes to take an early lead. He led for much of the first 10 holes before Gross won back-to-back holes to go 1-up and maintained control through their final six holes.
Chattanooga retook the lead with an exciting 1-up win by Jonathan Hodge over Tristan Bierenbroodspot. Bierenbroodspot won the first hole of the match before Hodge won consecutive holes to take the lead. Hodge led or was tied the rest of the way. He took four leads only to see Bierenbroodspot tie the match before a win on the 17th hole of the match secured the victory.
Jesper Kennegard drew the match even for the Sun Devils with a 3&1 win over Stephan Jaeger. After winning the first hole, Jaeger lost for straight and battled back within a two-hole deficit, but he could not get back to even.
Chattanooga returns to tournament play on March 29 for the Hootie at Bulls Bay Golf Club. The 54-hole, three-day event, March 29-31, is co-hosted by South Carolina and Clemson.
Arizona State def. Chattanooga 3-2
Stephan Gross (ASU) def. Ben Rickett (UTC), 2&1
Knut Borsheim (ASU) def. Derek Rende (UTC), 1 up
Jesper Kennegard (ASU) def. Stephan Jaeger (UTC), 3&1
Jonathan Hodge (UTC) def. Tristan Bierenbroodspot (ASU), 1 up
Fredrik Qvicker (UTC) def. Spencer Fletcher (ASU), 6&4
