MU duo stealing the show
Todd, Kendziorski earn top spots
SHEBOYGAN FALLS – Last week, Marquette University’s golf team rallied from 17 strokes back on the final day to win the Big East title. On Friday, the Golden Eagles leave for the NCAA Division I Regional in Sammamish, Wash.
That constitutes a pretty good run. But wait. It gets better. On Thursday, Golden Eagles assistant coach Richard “Gator” Todd and sophomore Austin Kendziorski claimed the top two spots in U.S. Open local qualifying at The Bull at Pinehurst Farms.
Todd, 31, playing his first tournament round in a year, fired a 5-under-par 67, bettering the field average of 82.69 by more than 15 shots.
Kendziorski shot a 1-under 71 and was the only other player in the field of 62 to break par. Jordan Niebrugge of Mequon and Vince India of Deerfield, Ill., shot 72s and earned the final two qualifying spots.
All four move on to 36hole sectional qualifying June 5. Sectional qualifiers advance to the U.S. Open, June 15-18, at Erin Hills Golf Course.
Todd, the son of former NFL quarterback Richard Todd and a collegiate standout at the University of Ala-
bama, played the minitours for several years. He earned status on the Web.com Tour in 2012 but never made a cut and burned out on competitive golf.
“I quit playing two years ago and was working in the finance world and just wasn’t happy with it,” he said. “Golf has always been my passion. I decided to go into coaching and (the assistant position at) MU was honestly the only job available. I was extremely lucky to even be considered for it.”
Todd got the job last year and other than dealing with his first winter in Wisconsin has fit right in.
“I couldn’t be happier with what I’m doing,” he said. “I get so much more fulfillment coaching than I do playing for myself. I think it’s kind of taken the pressure off me. I can just go freewheel it.”
Kendziorski, a Sussex Hamilton High School graduate, said Todd has made a big impact on the Marquette program as head coach Steve Bailey’s assistant.
“Gator has been awesome about taking his experience on tour and bringing it to us and to me, especially,” said Kendziorski, who caddies at Erin Hills in the summer. “He’s been an unbelievably good role model.”
Niebrugge had to battle back after shooting a 39 on the front nine at The Bull, a Jack Nicklaus Signature course known as one of the toughest challenges in the state. He shot a bogey-free 33 on the back.
“I was like, ‘Let’s turn this around because it’s a huge opportunity for me,’ ” Niebrugge said. “I’d really like to play at Erin Hills. We ended up battling through it and it was pretty satisfying.”
In 2013, Niebrugge won the U.S. Amateur Public Links qualifier at Erin Hills, which kicked off the best summer by an amateur in Wisconsin history. He won the U.S. Amateur Public Links, which got him a spot in the 2014 Masters, and added the prestigious Western Amateur, State Amateur and State Match Play titles.
He went on to earn All-American honors at Oklahoma State, twice made the U.S. Walker Cup team and tied for sixth at the 2015 British Open, where he had the lowest 72-hole score by an amateur in major championship history.
Niebrugge has since turned professional and is playing on the PGA Tour-sanctioned McKenzie Tour in Canada.
“It kind of all started at Erin Hills,” he said, “so I’ve got some good memories there.”
Niebrugge's close friend, former University of Illinois All-American Charlie Danielson of Osceola, made it through local qualifying Tuesday in Mendota Heights, Minn. Danielson played in the 2016 U.S. Open.
India, 28, was the 2011 Big Ten player of the year while at Iowa and is playing on the Web.com Tour.