At the end of last season, the Michigan men's golf team almost turned the corner. But a tie for ninth at the Big Ten championships left it wanting more.

So the Wolverines hit the links this summer and worked hard to improve. Senior Tim Schaetzel, junior Bill Rankin, sophomore Billy McKay and freshman Lion Kim all played in the prestigious U.S. Amateur in late August. Rankin won the Eastern Amateur in July and Kim tied for third at the FootJoy Boy's Invitational, one of junior golf's major tournaments.

Michigan coach Andrew Sapp said most of the players worked on their own, with some trips to Ann Arbor for an occasional lesson.

"They had a lot of motivation based on how we finished in the spring," Sapp said. "The whole team played well over the summer and came back ready to go."

The preparation paid off last weekend. The Wolverines took first place out of 16 teams at the Purdue Midwest Shootout, their first tournament win since the Wolverine Intercollegiate in Sept. 2005.

Schaetzel and Rankin tied for first, shooting 1-under par for the tournament. It was the first time either one has taken home an individual victory in their time at Michigan.

"They played really good golf," Sapp said. "They didn't make many mistakes on a golf course that's very penal if you drive the ball poorly."

Kim tied for 10th and just missed an even-par round with bogeys on the final two holes.

Poor conditions couldn't even slow the Wolverines down. Rain made the rough very thick, and wet fairways didn't allow the ball to roll. The tournament was supposed to be 36 holes, but rain and lightening delays shortened it to 18.

Even after a season-opening victory, Michigan's first since 1987, Sapp put things in perspective.

"It's something that helps the guys believe they can continue to have this kind of success," Sapp said. "But everybody at dinner last night said there's a lot of room to improve. We need to keep getting better."

The Wolverines will look to build upon their success today at the Inverness Intercollegiate in Toledo, Ohio.