Blue Devils Claim Rod Myers Invitational Team Title, Sample Ties for Third

DURHAM – The Duke men’s golf team secured its first team victory of the 2023-24 season, claiming the Rod Myers Invitational trophy with an 8-under, 856, at the Duke University Golf Club. Three golfers in Duke’s lineup finished inside the top-15, led by Luke Sample, who placed tied for third with a 5-under, 211. The victory is Duke’s 94th team title in program history and the 32nd under head coach Jamie Green.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• As a team, Duke finished at 1-under, 287, in the third and final round.
• The Duke University Golf Club proved a tough challenge to all competitors on Monday, as Duke’s 1-under was one of just three under-par rounds on the course all day.
• The Blue Devils rallied from a deficit as large as four shots mid-way through the round, surging with 21 birdies over 50 team holes spanning a stretch of holes No. 4 through No. 13.
• Freshman Bryan Kim turned in the team’s low round of the day, signing for a 2-under, 70. Playing in his first home event, Kim bounced back from an early bogey, on No. 2, with a birdie on the par-3 fourth. The Brookeville, Md., native got hot with the putter on three straight holes, pouring in birdies on holes No. 9, 10 and 11 to reach 3-under for the round. A bogey on No. 12 was erased, after a long birdie putt on the par-3 15th found the bottom of the cup. Kim finished in fifth place, at 4-under, 212, the best finish so far in his young Duke career.
• Luke Sample found himself 3-over after three holes, but lit up the scorecard shortly after. The junior rolled in birdies on seven of his next nine holes, reaching as low as 4-under walking off of the green of No. 12. Three dropped shots over his final six holes slowed Sample’s surge, but his 1-under, 71, on Monday helped him finish as the low Blue Devil at 5-under, 211, and in a tie for third place overall.
• Ian Siebers bounced back from a double-bogey on the first hole with birdies on holes No. 2 and 4 to get back to even-par. The senior played the two front-nine par-5’s at even-par, with a bogey on No. 7 and a birdie on No. 9, to remain level at the turn. A birdie on No. 10, Siebers’ fourth of the day, pushed him into red numbers. Another…