Norse Claim 9th IIAC Title - Scott Fjelstul Named Coach of the Year
May 3, 2008
For the third time in four rounds, Luther posted the low round of the day and captured the 2008 Iowa Conference championship by four strokes over Central College. The Norse entered the final round with a one stroke lead and shot 303 this afternoon on their home course Oneota Golf and Country Club, ending the 63-hole tournament with a stroke total of 1074. The Dutch carded a 306 and completed the event at 1078. It is the first title for the Norse since 2000 and ninth in school history.
Coe fired a final-round 320 to place third with a 1111. Wartburg posted a 313 today to place fourth with a 1112 total, overtaking Simpson which finished fifth with a 1115. The Storm fired a 318 on the final day to round out the top-five.
Four Luther players earned all-conference honor by finishing in the top-10 for only the second time in school history. The first was in 1997 and that same year Luther claimed the league title.
Central’s Andy Petersen posted back-to-back 75s on the final weekend of play, capturing medalist honors and Iowa Conference Men’s Golfer of the Year honors for the second consecutive year. His 63-hole total of 266 was one better than Buena Vista’s Josh Reed.
Chris Bushbaum of Wartburg posted a 72 this afternoon to vault into third place (44-76-76-72—268), one shot ahead of Luther’s Tom Lantzy (37-74-77-81—269) and Ross Jacobucci (44-77-72-76—269). Lantzy led after each of the first three rounds and edged Jacobucci in a playoff for fourth place. Luther’s Chase Forkenbrock (44-77-76-73—270) beat Buena Vista’s Tim Murphy (43-76-75-76—270) in a playoff for sixth place, Central’s Reid Turner took eighth (39-81-77-74—271) and Coe’s Nolan Schmelzer (41-79-75-77—272) topped Luther’s Paul Soener (39-79-76-78—272) in a playoff for ninth place to round out the top-10.
With its ninth Iowa Conference men’s golf title, Luther has earned an automatic bid to the NCAA III Men's Golf National Championships at Chateau Elan Resort in Braselton, Georgia just outside of Atlanta. The 72-hole tournament will be held May 13-16 on the Woodland and Chateau courses. It will be the fifth NCAA appearance for the Norse and first since 1997.
Coach of the Year honors were presented to Norse head coach Scott Fjelstul. Coach Fjelstul led the Norse to three top-three finishes in five tournaments this spring, including the conference title. It is the seventh time since 1992 and first since 2006, that he has been so honored.
