The Michigan men's golf team completed the 2006 spring season by finishing 10th at the Big Ten Championships.

At the start of this season, it's more of the same.

The Wolverines ended the two-day Rich Harvest Farms Intercollegiate with another 10th-place showing. Michigan had a three-round team score of 941 in the 12-team tournament. It wasn't the performance the Wolverines were hoping for with the start of a new season.

"It's a long fall, and it's clear we have a lot of work to do," Michigan coach Andrew Sapp said. "It was a difficult course, and it was a good experience for our guys."

Senior Kevin Dore, who was making his first start for Michigan in nearly a year, led the Wolverines. He finished tied for 27th with a three-day total of 234.

After 36 holes on Saturday Dore appeared to have a shot to finish in the top 20, posting consecutive scores of 76. But things came undone in Sunday's final round, where Dore could only muster an 82.

"He posted a couple big numbers on some par fours, and it just derailed any momentum that he had throughout the round," Sapp said.

Following right behind Dore was junior Tim Schaetzel, who finished in a tie for 30th. After an opening-round 77, the Atlanta native posted consecutive scores of 79.

This weekend was Schaetzel's first tournament since participating in the U.S. Amateur Championships in August. The experience there is already paying dividends now that the fall season has arrived.

"The course (at the U.S Amateurs) was an extremely difficult golf course, just like the golf course this weekend," Sapp said. "I definitely think playing at the U.S. Amateurs helped him in that he was exposed to a great golf course. By playing there he understood how well he needs to play in order to post low scores at courses of this caliber."

Following the weekend, much was said about how hard the Rich Harvest Farms golf course played. Sapp emphasized that Michigan probably won't play a golf course this difficult the rest of the year.

But a welcome surprise for the Wolverines was the adjustments made by sophomore Bill Rankin. After playing poorly on day one - posting scores of 81 and 83 - the Traverse City native notched a team-best 74 on Sunday. The low round put him in a tie for 39th at the end of the tournament.

"It was great to see (Rankin) bounce back from a long day on Saturday," Sapp said. "Playing in a collegiate event took a little bit of adjusting for him, but he came back (on Sunday) with one of the low rounds of the whole tournament. Hopefully, it will give him some confidence."

Unfortunately for Michigan, not enough people made the necessary changes following Saturday's two rounds. Every other Wolverine posted a score of 79 or higher. And besides Dore, Schaetzel and Rankin no other golfer for Michigan finished in the top 50 individually.

"We can't control the opponent," Sapp said. "We can only compete to win. And as long as we are competing to win, and improve from this week, that's all you can ask for."

Next week, Michigan can turn things around with its own event, the Wolverine Intercollegiate. And a 10th-place showing won't be good enough. Last year, the Wolverines finished in first place, their only win of the season.