C

Page 6-The Michigan Daily- Sports Monday - April 20, 1992

Men's golf places seventh

GM9

women runners

by Brett Forrest
Daily Sports Writer
AKRON, Ohio - The unexpected turns of
college golf are so commonplace, they are al-
most always planned for.
This weekend in Akron, Ohio, the Mich-
igan men's golf team was supposed to play a
54-hole tournament on the famed Firestone
Country Club courses. Thirty-six holes were to
be played Friday, and 18 Saturday. But think
again. With a torrential downpour Friday
morning, the day's events were canceled.
The entire schedule of events was rear-
ranged to accommodate a 27-hole tournament
on Saturday. Michigan played the back nine of
the north course, followed by the back nine of
the west course, and finished up on the front
nine of the north.
The team started out solidly, but later
played inconsistently. Wisconsin won the
tournament, with Michigan State finishing one
shot out. The Wolverines finished tied for sev-
enth place in the 36-team field, 10 shots back
of Wisconsin.
Saturday's temperature unexpectedly skied
into the mid 80's.
"The heat was a factor," rookie Bill Lyle
said. "I almost died."
Lyle finished tied for third on the team with
a score of 115 (39-39-37).
The other big factor was the condition of
the greens on the north course. They had re-
cently been aerated, and with Friday's heavy
rains, they were slow and bumpy.
"I am disturbed," senior Denny Sikkila
said. Sikkila carded a 27 hole score of 115 (37-
40-38). "I was hitting the ball better than I

have all year but I putted inconsistently."
Junior James Carson and senior Anthony
Dietz led the team with scores of 112 (35-42- y
35) and 113 (42-35-36), respectively.
Carson's effort was quite remarkable con-
sidering the fact that he used a sand wedge as
his putter for the last 10 holes of competition.
While putting with the sand wedge, Carson hit%
10 of 10 greens in regulation and made two
birdies.
"The sand wedge really woke me up," y. M
Carson said. "You have to hit it close. I'm not a
going to hit 10-footers for par with a sand
wedge."
Dietz rebounded from a hideous opening-
nine score of 42 to make a respectable show-
ing. Dietz carded a four-birdie 71 for the last
18 holes.
"I was hitting the ball really well but I had
unbelievable misfortune on the first nine,"
Dietz said. "On the first nine holes I putted like
a dog. On the last 18I putted the eyes out of
the hole."
A big disappointment was the score turnedM
in by captain Dean Kobane. Kobane shot 117,
(39-41-37) for the 27 holes.
On the par five 18th hole of the north>
course, Kobane pounded his drive for some"
330 yards. He placed his approach shot eight
feet from the cup and had no problem sinking
the putt for an eagle three.
That was only one of his two eagles on the
day. All considered, Kobane fought back from
a poor start to register a final-nine score of 37
on the difficult north course.
HEATHER LOWM A
"Dean will rebound and play well at the Michigan senior Anthony Dietz looks intense as he
Big Ten tournament," Sikkila said. attempts a putt earlier this year.

take Purdue Relays

by Rich Mitvalsky
Daily Sports Writer
Despite not having the services
of some very talented middle-dis-
tance and distance runners, the
Michigan women's track team siz-
zled the field at the Purdue Relays
over the weekend.
In West Lafayette, the Wolver-
ines outdistanced conference foe and
host team Purdue by a decisive 150-
108 margin, balancing their meet
record at an even 1-1. Michigan
topped a field of eight teams, which
also included intrastate rivals Cen-
tral and Western Michigan, after
finishing second one week ago at a
meet in Charlottesville, Va.
Without standout runners Amy
Bannister, who did not make the trip
in order to focus on academics, and
Amy Buchholz, who is resting for
her upcoming performance at the
Penn Relays, the Wolverines man-
aged victories in the 800-, 3,000-
and 5,000-meter runs, as well as in
the 100-meter hurdles.
While the 800-meter run is tradi-
tionally a strong event for Bannister,
rookie Karen Harvey successfully
filled the void created by her ab-
sence, grabbing the victory in 2
minutes, 14.1 seconds.
"Karen was not really challenged
during the final lap, and led wire to
wire," assistant coach Mike
McGuire said. "Just a solid run by

Karen"
In the 3,000-meter race, a youth-
ful trio of Wolverines dominated the
field, as sophomore Chris Szabo and
frosh Courtney Babcock tied for first
in 10:07.1, while another frosh,
Kelly Chard, crossed the line just
behind her teammates in third place.
Running away with the 5,000-meter
run was Rachel Mann, who finished
in 17:43.3.
"(Rachel) was not pressed too
much in that race, and she ran as
good of a race as she has all season
for us," McGuire said.
One of Michigan's most consis-
tent performers, Suzi Thweat, added
to the Wolverine victory total,
sprinting to a victory in the 100-me-
ter hurdles in 14.4 seconds.
While Michigan runners suffo-
cated the field in the middle-distance,;
and longer events, inclement weath-
er similarly affected the progress of
the meet.

During the initial event, the
javelin throw, driving rain forced the
field events indoors. Hot and muggy
conditions prevailed shortly there-
after, serving as an additional obsta-
cle for the athletes to overcome.

'#
9' #
:


KOBANE
Continued from page 1
"Dean is a viable asset to the
team because he makes other people
on the team play better," Sikkila
said. "He's a good leader because he
helps out other guys on the team. He
puts a lot of guys on the team at
ease. He is the best captain since
I've been here."
"He loosens the tension more
than anyone," Carson agreed. "When
you come off a bad round and he
cracks a joke, it makes you feel that
life still goes on."
The strongest connotation which
emanates from the words "Michigan
men's golf team" is brotherhood.
Even though one player ultimately
must be concerned with only his
play and has no control over the play
of his teammates, there is a desire to
aid one's teammates which is shared
by all the Wolverine golfers.
"We all help each other out,"
Sikkila said. "Dean really goes out
of his way to help guys out on the
team."
"Dean knows a lot about the
game," rookie Bill Lyle added. "He
helps you by teaching."
Dietz, who is virtually tied with
Kobane for All-Big Ten honors,
often trades golfing philosophy with
him.
"Dean is jumble and carefree," he
said. "He is a very sincere person

and is very willing to help anyone
with their game. He has a really
good knowledge of the swing."
This desire to impart knowledge
may lead Kobane to become a club
professional after his competitive
career ends.
"I like to help people," Kobane
said. "I'd like to go into it (being a
club pro). I would like to help others
and try and transfer some of the
things I've learned over the years to
help their games."
"He really knows what he's
talking about when it comes to
teaching someone," Carson agreed.
"Dealing with somebody who
doesn't know all the technical terms,
he can really help because he can put
in layman's terms. He knows a lot
about the golf swing."
If there is one weakness in
Kobane's golf regimen, it comes at
practice time. He does not get
enough of it. It is understandable
that with academics he cannot be out
on the course eight hours every day.
However, Kobane holds that
trump card - proven natural ability.
"He was a proven player when he
came to us," Carras said. "He is a
very good number one player. He is
not the strongest practice player we
have, though. But he is talented
enough to where sometimes he
doesn't have to. Keep in mind that
he has practiced an awful lot up until
this point."

There's the rub. There are some
who believe there is no substitute for
natural ability. Under this ideology,
continual stringent practice will not
outdistance natural talent. Kobane
feels the lack of fulfilling his
practice potential aids him wien the
scores count.
"I get fired up for each
tournament," he said, "because I
haven't played much during the
week."
Come tournament-time, Kobane
is always ready to play. He knows
what he wants to accomplish. He
sets himself in a steady mindset to
perform his golfing tasks.
"He has proven himself time and
time again," Carson said. "If we
haven't had practice or the weather
isn't cooperating, he can go out there
and turn it on anytime he wants.
Dean is definitely one of the best
players Michigan has had in a long,
long time."
"Dean is an impact-type player,"
Carras said. "He owes it to the rest
of the kids to play his best because
he's our workhorse."
The Wolverines spend most of
their non-golfing waking hours in a
state of jocularity. Sure, they want to
keep the mood a light one. However,
many of the golfers are actually
frustrated stand-up comedians.
"I don't think there's a group of
five guys - whoever is on the trip
- who laughs as much as we do,"

Dietz said. "We're constantly
cracking each other up. Dean is
really more rollicking than I am.
He's a real character."
"We really have a good time,"
Kobane added. "It's a bundle full of
laughs."
Dietz and Kobane are clearly
identified as the team's two most-
frustrated comics.
"Those two definitely have
something you can tell your
grandkids about," Carson admitted.
When pressed for specific
examples of Kobane's levity, Dietz
shrugged it off.
"Those things are better left
unsaid," Dietz said. "The kid's just
hilarious."
Kobane finds that this dual
personality help his game. Perhaps
his feeling of calm while in the hotel
rooms can also be felt while on the
pressure-filled courses during
tournament play.
In the future, that is exactly
where Kobane wants to be - in the
PGA.
"To have a chance to be
successful, you have to practice five
or six hours a day. It's possible,"
Kobane said.
"It's like being a gambler," he
continued. "You put your money
down and you're gambling with
your golf skills to see if you're going
to get your money back or get a net
profit.
"I'll continue with it. I'll do it
eventually. It would be sad to see for
me to never give it a try after all
these years of practice."
There is Dean Kobane, the golfer,
who has left an indelible impression

"The conditions were far from 4W
ideal, and some of the times were af-
fected by the hot and humid
weather," McGuire said.
\\
- d

Anthony Dietz and Dean Kobane pose on the Wolverine golf course.

_ _ l

on Michigan golf in his short time
on this campus. There also is Dean
Kobane, the man, who has left a
different mark on his teammates, as
they have on him.
What the future holds for Kobane
is a matter of guesswork. One thing
ig certain, though, and that is
Kobane's passion for the game.

"Dean loves golf more than
anyone on the team," Sikkila said.
"He wants to be around golf for the
rest of his life, regardless of the
consequences. Whatever Dean ends
up doing, he will have tried 110
percent. Dean is dedicated to making
himself the best."

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