WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Trailing Illinois State by 10 shots with about nine holes to play, the Purdue men's golf team surged as a group in its final nine holes to cap off a remarkable rally and win the Purdue Fall Invitational at Ackerman-Allen Golf Course.
The victory is its second of the fall season, giving the Boilermakers two team titles in the fall season for the first time since 2015-16 season. Purdue also won the Windon Memorial Classic three weeks ago.
Purdue totaled a 54-hole tally of 10-under par 842 (291-276-275) to defeat the Redbirds by one shot. VCU and No. 9-ranked Illinois tied for third at 1-over par 853, while Nebraska finished fifth at 3-over par 855.
Purdue's 842 is the 10th-lowest tournament score in school history. The 275 shot today is the 15th-lowest, 18-hole round in Purdue history.
Illinois State was 12-under par as it started its back nine on Tuesday, leading Purdue by 10 shots, which sat at 2-under par. Fueled by a pair of eagles by All-American Herman Sekne, the second of which came as he holed out from the fairway on the par-4, 461-yard 1st hole, the Boilermakers played their final stretch in 8-under par, while the Redbirds played their stretch in 3-over par.
Every birdie was huge down the stretch, including a pair of clutch birdies by Kent Hsiao on his 15th (No. 3) and 16th (No. 4) holes and a birdie by Sam Easterbrook on his 17th hole (No. 3). Purdue's counting team had just seven bogeys on the day and just three on its final nine holes.
As he has done all year, the 2023 All-American Sekne fueled Purdue's final-round surge. The senior from Oslo, Norway, recorded his third top-five finish of the fall, placing third with a 7-under par 206 (71-70-65). He now has 11 career top-five finishes in just 32 events, and moved into a tie for fourth in career top-10 placings with 16.
Sekne has eight rounds in the 60s already this season, which ranks tied sixth in a season in school history and he has an entire spring season left to play. Since the start of last year, 22 of his 43 rounds played have been in the 60s and he lowered his stroke average this season to 69.21 strokes per round.
Freshman Sam Easterbrook recorded his best finish of his career, placing ninth at 3-under par 210 (73-67-70). Easterbrook was third in the field in par-4 scoring at 5-under par and he recorded consecutive under-par rounds for the first time in his career.
Peyton Snoeberger was tied for 21st at 2-over par 215 (72-69-74), while Kent Hsiao was tied for 25th at 3-over par 216 (75-70-71). Hsiao was big on Tuesday, as he was 2-over par through 11 holes, but managed to get back to even par late to help Purdue to the title.
Nels Surtani also bounced back from a tough first two rounds, shooting a 2-under par 69 for a three-round total of 6-over par 219 (75-75-69), to finish tied for 39th. Surtani had just one bogey in his round.
Playing as individuals, Justin Sun was tied for 76th at 11-over par 224 (70-74-80), Nick Dentino was tied for 71st at 14-over par 227 (73-80-74) and Luke Prall finished 76th at 16-over par 229 (82-71-76).
Purdue has completed its fall season and will be in action next on Feb. 11 through 13 at the Puerto Rico Classic in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
The victory is its second of the fall season, giving the Boilermakers two team titles in the fall season for the first time since 2015-16 season. Purdue also won the Windon Memorial Classic three weeks ago.
Purdue totaled a 54-hole tally of 10-under par 842 (291-276-275) to defeat the Redbirds by one shot. VCU and No. 9-ranked Illinois tied for third at 1-over par 853, while Nebraska finished fifth at 3-over par 855.
Purdue's 842 is the 10th-lowest tournament score in school history. The 275 shot today is the 15th-lowest, 18-hole round in Purdue history.
Illinois State was 12-under par as it started its back nine on Tuesday, leading Purdue by 10 shots, which sat at 2-under par. Fueled by a pair of eagles by All-American Herman Sekne, the second of which came as he holed out from the fairway on the par-4, 461-yard 1st hole, the Boilermakers played their final stretch in 8-under par, while the Redbirds played their stretch in 3-over par.
Every birdie was huge down the stretch, including a pair of clutch birdies by Kent Hsiao on his 15th (No. 3) and 16th (No. 4) holes and a birdie by Sam Easterbrook on his 17th hole (No. 3). Purdue's counting team had just seven bogeys on the day and just three on its final nine holes.
As he has done all year, the 2023 All-American Sekne fueled Purdue's final-round surge. The senior from Oslo, Norway, recorded his third top-five finish of the fall, placing third with a 7-under par 206 (71-70-65). He now has 11 career top-five finishes in just 32 events, and moved into a tie for fourth in career top-10 placings with 16.
Sekne has eight rounds in the 60s already this season, which ranks tied sixth in a season in school history and he has an entire spring season left to play. Since the start of last year, 22 of his 43 rounds played have been in the 60s and he lowered his stroke average this season to 69.21 strokes per round.
Freshman Sam Easterbrook recorded his best finish of his career, placing ninth at 3-under par 210 (73-67-70). Easterbrook was third in the field in par-4 scoring at 5-under par and he recorded consecutive under-par rounds for the first time in his career.
Peyton Snoeberger was tied for 21st at 2-over par 215 (72-69-74), while Kent Hsiao was tied for 25th at 3-over par 216 (75-70-71). Hsiao was big on Tuesday, as he was 2-over par through 11 holes, but managed to get back to even par late to help Purdue to the title.
Nels Surtani also bounced back from a tough first two rounds, shooting a 2-under par 69 for a three-round total of 6-over par 219 (75-75-69), to finish tied for 39th. Surtani had just one bogey in his round.
Playing as individuals, Justin Sun was tied for 76th at 11-over par 224 (70-74-80), Nick Dentino was tied for 71st at 14-over par 227 (73-80-74) and Luke Prall finished 76th at 16-over par 229 (82-71-76).
Purdue has completed its fall season and will be in action next on Feb. 11 through 13 at the Puerto Rico Classic in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.