Noblesville, Indiana -- Sophomore Julien Sale shot a final-round, nine-under par 63, one stroke off the Indian Hills record, and took medalist honors as the top-rated Warriors cruised to a victory in the Purgatory Intercollegiate over the weekend. Sale's second-round 63 is tied for the second-lowest 18-hole round in program history. Brad Smith holds the record with his 62 in the 2006 National Championship meet. Sale's 36-hole score of 133 was one stroke behind Shad Muth's 132, second-best at Indian Hills, trailing only Smith's 129 which he produced over 36 holes at the national tourney in '06.
IHCC led runnerup Taylor University by six strokes after the opening 18 holes at the Purgatory, and then had a blistering round of 15-under par 273 to wind up 17 shots in front of Taylor.
It's the third team win in as many starts for the Warriors this spring, coming on the heels of victories at the Arbor Hotels and Heritage Hills events.
Indian Hills soph Ricky Sanders was alone in second place, six shots in back of Sale, after Sanders fashioned rounds of even-par 72 and five-under 67 for a 139 total.
Joe Hodgson, playing as an individual, finished with a 140 and tied for third. He matched Sanders' second-round score of 67.
George Clarke, the medalist at the last meet with a 136 at Heritage Hills, was in a tie for 5th place in Indiana at 143.
The other two IHCC golfers in the field, Maxime Leclerc and Joe Kim, each finished in the top 15. Leclerc was in a three-way tie for 9th at 145; Kim tied for 14th place with a 148.
Indian Hills will take part in the TPC Deere Run Invitational Mar. 30-31 in Silvis, Illinois.
Purgatory Intercollegiate
Team scores (top 10):
- Indian Hills 287-273=560; 2. Taylor U. 293-284=577; 3. Cardinal Stritch 301-292=593; 4. Parkland CC 299-297=596; 5. Lindenwood-Belleville 299-303=602; 6. Wheaton 312-301=613; 7. Indiana Wesleyan 311-305=616; 8. St. Francis 308-310=618; T9. Mt. Vernon Nazarene 315-306=621; T9. Roosevelt 310-311=621
Indian Hills scores:
1. Julien Sale 70-63=133; 2. Ricky Sanders 72-67=139; T3. Joe Hodgson 73-67=140; T5. George Clarke 72-71=143; T9. Maxime Leclerc 73-72=145; T14. Joe Kim 75-73=148