Feb. 14, 2009
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. -- Northwestern defeated Purdue in the fifth-place contest Saturday at the Big Ten Match Play Championship to finish the tournament with a 3-1 overall record. The Wildcats came into the tournament as the No. 8 seed.
The 'Cats topped the Boilermakers in a total holes won tiebreak after tying, 3-3. Freshman Eric Chun (Ansung City, South Korea/International Christian School) won his match 6 and 5 for NU. Chun enjoyed a dominating tournament, crushing his opponents to the tune of a 20-under mark with 26 birdies and only three bogeys through 56 total holes.
With daylight fading, Northwestern and Purdue made it a point for every match to go the distance. Darkness fell shortly after the 'Cats sealed up fifth place, but every match was played to its completion.
Matt Denison won his match at No. 6 over David Gersztein, 4 and 3. At No. 5, Josh Dupont also ended early with a 3 and 1 win over Maximo Kopp. Purdue took matches at No. 3 and No. 4 to even the match at two apiece. At No. 4, Jonathan Bowers fell 2 up and Andy DeKeuster lost a 4 and 3 contest at No. 3.
Chun stepped up huge once again for the Wildcats and escaped the 85-degree temps by finishing off his opponent, 6 and 5 to put the 'Cats in the lead. His margin would be a big part of how NU took the tiebreaker as David Lipsky fell at No. 1, 5 and 3. By virtue of holes won, the Wildcats took fifth place and improved to 3-1 on the tournament while finishing three spots above their seed.
In voting done by the conference's coaches, Chun was named to the All-Tournament Team.
The Big Ten Match Play Championship will be broadcast March 1, 2009, on the Big Ten Network. Indiana captured the championship crown by defeating Michigan in the finals, 3.5-2.5.