O’Reilly’s 73 Paces Wolverines on First Day of Big Ten Championships

O’Reilly’s 73 Paces Wolverines on First Day of Big Ten Championships

» Michigan tallied an opening 303 and is 13th after the first day of the Big Ten Championships.

» Graduate student Brendan O’Reilly led U-M with a 73 (+1) and is tied for 24th.

» Freshman Bavake Sihota’s 75 has him tied for 38th after the first round.

» Four of Michigan’s five starters are playing in their first Big Ten Championships.

Site: French Lick, Ind.

Course: The Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort (Par 72, 7,033 yards)

Tournament: Big Ten Championships (Day 1 of 3)

U-M Team Standing: 13th Place of 14 Teams (303, +15) after day 1

Top U-M Individual: Brendan O’Reilly, tie-24 (73, +1)

Next U-M Round: Sat-Sun., April 30-May 1 — at Big Ten Championships — Day Two (French Lick, Ind.), 9 a.m. (tee times)

FRENCH LICK, Ind. — Paced by graduate student Brendan O’Reilly’s 73 (+1), the University of Michigan men’s golf team posted a 303 (+15) team total today (Friday, April 29) and are in the 13th position after the first day of the Big Ten Championships at the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort.

Starting off the 10th tee, O’Reilly had a bogey on the par 4, 11th hole before he used back-to-back birdies on No. 14 and No. 15 to go one-under early in his first career Big Ten round. After a bogey on the 17th, he turned at even par. Despite a bogey on the par 4, sixth hole, he recorded 13 pars to etch a 73 (+1) and sit tied for 24th.

Much like O’Reilly, freshman Bavake Sihota posted two birdies in his first four holes before a bogey on the par 3, 16th had him even making the turn. With three bogeys on the front nine, he closed his first championship 18 with a 75 and is tied for 38th. Fellow freshman Hunter Thomson has 12 pars and a birdie in his opening round and is tied for 55th after finishing with a 77.

The 14-team field has two days and 36 holes left before a champion is crowned. U-M will pair with Iowa (300, +12) and Nebraska (304, +16) for Saturday’s (April 30) second round. The trip will tee off at 10:25 a.m. off the 10th tee.

Team Standings (After Day 1 of 3)

 1. Michigan State   276 (-12)
 2. Wisconsin        284
 3. Illinois         286
 4. Purdue           287
 5. Northwestern     291
    Penn State       291
 7. Indiana ...