Summer Strokes

Many IU athletes use the summer to rest and prepare their bodies physically for their upcoming seasons, but for the reigning Big Ten Golfer of the Year, the supposed "offseason" can be just as busy as the season.\nSenior Jeff Overton's summer schedule finally ended Saturday at the 104th U.S. Amateur Championships in Mamaroneck, N.Y. The Evansville native was defeated by University of Nevada Las Vegas senior and defending NCAA champion Ryan Moore in the semifinals. Moore eventually went on to take the championship by defeating Vanderbilt University sophomore Luke List Sunday. \nOverton's run at the U.S. Amateur capped off a busy summer that saw the second team All-American travelling to Japan to compete in the Fuji Xerox USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championships, finishing second at the Porter Cup in Lewiston, N.Y., competing in the Western Amateur in Michigan and claiming his second consecutive Indiana Amateur Championship.\nAlthough Overton's U.S. Amateur Championship bid came up short, he said he was pleased with his performance at Winged Foot Golf Club.\n"I tell you what, when you play a (United States Golf Association) golf course, pars are good," Overton said. "It's hard to adjust because you're so used to seeing the ball spin back 10 or 15 feet. It's just playing a lot tougher out there now."\nOverton began his run at the U.S. Amateur by firing a 3-over-par 73 in the stroke play portion of the tournament August 16. The next day Overton tied for 17th place by firing another 73. Overton's total score of 146 in stroke play assured him of a spot in the match play competition. \nIU coach Mike Mayer said he knew Overton would be successful in this tournament.\n"Not to sound arrogant, but I am not surprised that he had that much success," Mayer said. "He's proven all summer that he's a national caliber player. Once he got in it, I would have been shocked if he didn't make it to match play. Obviously, he made it to match play really easily, and once he got to match play, anything can happen."\nOverton quickly got on a roll in the match play portion of the competition. He made quick work of Oakland University junior Jonathan Pauli with a 6 and 5 for his first win August 18. The following day, Overton pulled double duty with a 5 and 4 morning victory over Villanova University alumnus John Keller and a 3 and 2 win over Georgia Institute of Technology senior Nicholas Thompson in the afternoon.\nOverton advanced to the quarterfinals Friday against St. John's University alumnus Andy Svoboda. Svoboda, a four-time club champion at Winged Foot, was Overton's toughest challenge yet. The quarterfinal match was a back and forth battle until Overton took control of the match for good by winning the 17th and 18th holes for a two-up victory. \nSaturday's semifinal match against Moore also proved to be a seesaw affair. Overton was up two after four holes, but Moore battled back. After a 13th hole birdie, Moore took a lead that he would not relinquish. Moore defeated Overton 2 and 1. \nEven though it ended in the semifinals, Overton's run was a highlight for the program.\n"Seeing what Jeff did this summer just makes us all want to go out and get that much better," junior Scott Seibert said. "We know that he's going to go out there and do the things that he's capable of doing. It'll get us out there and just want to follow in his footsteps."\nOverton will next see action along with the rest of the IU men's golf team when the squad begins the fall season September 11 and 12 at the Michigan-Radrick Farms Intercollegiate Invitational.