Michigan Men's Golf Sits Ninth After Day 1 at Kepler Invitational

Wolverines shoot 294-286 to sit in ninth place after 36 holes in Columbus

Apr. 12, 2026 at 1:18am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a college golf tournament, with the fairways, sand traps, and golfers' movements broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes of color.Michigan's golfers navigate the challenging Columbus Country Club course, their movements and the tournament action deconstructed into a cubist masterpiece.Columbus Today

The University of Michigan men's golf team opened the Robert Kepler Invitational with a first-round 294 and followed it up with a second-round 286 (-2) to sit in ninth place at 580 after 36 holes at Columbus Country Club.

Why it matters

The Kepler Invitational is an important early-season tournament for the Wolverines, providing an opportunity to compete against several top teams in the Midwest region and measure their progress ahead of the postseason.

The details

RJ Arone led the Wolverines, carding a 73 in the first round followed by a 69 in the second round to move into a tie for 10th place at 142 (-2). Nilay Naik also bounced back from an opening 74 to shoot 70 in the second round and move into a tie for 26th at even-par 144. However, Jordan Hwang was disqualified from the first round after signing an incorrect scorecard.

  • The tournament is being held over two days, April 10-11, 2026.
  • Michigan opened with a 294 in the first round on April 10.
  • The Wolverines shot a 286 (-2) in the second round on April 10.

The players

RJ Arone

A Michigan golfer who carded a 73 in the first round and a 69 in the second round to move into a tie for 10th place at 142 (-2).

Nilay Naik

A Michigan golfer who bounced back from an opening 74 to shoot 70 in the second round and move into a tie for 26th at even-par 144.

Jordan Hwang

A Michigan golfer who was disqualified from the first round after signing an incorrect scorecard.

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What’s next

The Wolverines will look to improve their standing on the final day of the Kepler Invitational on Sunday, April 11, with tee times starting at 7:30 a.m.

The takeaway

Michigan's performance on the second day will be crucial as the team looks to move up the leaderboard and build momentum heading into the remainder of the spring season.