April 11, 2003
John Martin shoots two-round 77, only BSU individual to finish in Top 20

VERMILLION, S.D. - Bemidji State’s John Martin fired a 37-40=77 to lead the BSU men’s golf team to an eighth-place finish at the South Dakota Invitational. BSU shot a team 321 in the one-round tournament, its first of the spring season.

The USD Invite was held at The Bluffs, a 6,684-yard, par-72 course.

Augustana captured the team title with a 294, besting Minn. State-Mankato by two strokes despite the fact that it sported the tournament’s top two individual finishers. Minn. State’s Jonathan Lauzon and George Butkovich tied for indidvidual medalist honors, both shooting 36-34=70. Augustana’s top four golfers all finished in the Top 14, while Mankato’s third and fourth golfers finished in a tie for 26th place.

Martin finished amongst a group of eight golfers tied for 17th with 77s for the round. He was four strokes better than any of his BSU teammates, with Matt Gorden as the team’s next-highest finisher at 40-41=81, tied for 37th.

Ben Stecker (t-37th, 41-40=81), Kendall Walker (41st, 41-41=82) and Shane Peterson (t-45th, 42-43=85) rounded out the scorers for BSU.

Tim Johnson (44th, 43-41=84) and Justin Matthiesen (51st, 43-50=93) competed as individuals for BSU.

Bemidji State will be back in action tomorrow (April 12) at the Wayne State (Neb.) Invitational. The WSU Invite is set for a 9:00 a.m. tee time.

TEAM RESULTS
1 Augustana 294
2 MSU-Mankato 296
3 St. Cloud State 297
4 North Dakota St. 301
5 South Dakota St. 305
6 North Dakota 307
7 South Dakota 308
8 Bemidji State 321
9 South Dakota II 327

BSU Individual Results
t-17 John Martin 37-40=77
t-37 Matt Gorden 40-41=81
t-37 Ben Stecker 41-40=81
41 Kendall Walker 41-41=82
t-45 Shane Peterson 42-43=85
unattached
t-44 Tim Johnson 43-41=84
51 Justin Matthiesen 43-50=93