From a modest beginning in 1966, the Fossum/Spartan Invitational has developed into a showcase of fine collegiate golf. In 1996, the tournament celebrated its 30th anniversary and was added to the College Golf Foundation/Rolex Golf Tour as one of the top 75 collegiate golf tournaments.

The tournament annually draws some of the top collegiate golfing talent in the nation to the Forest Akers West Course.

2007 Fossum/Spartan Invitational Champions

The Fossum/Spartan Invitational began in 1966 with eight schools participating and grew to 25 teams in the late 1970s. The field numbered to 21 in 1997. In 1998, Michigan State did not host the Fossum Invitational for just the second time since 1966 because the Big Ten Championship was held at Forest Akers West.*

Bruce Fossum - Michigan State Men's Golf Coach (1966-89)

The tournament was renamed in 1992 in honor of Bruce Fossum, longtime Spartan coach and teacher. Among his many coaching laurels is his induction into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 1985. Fossum's wife, Mary (MSU's former women's golf coach), was inducted into the hall in 1988, making the pair the only husband-wife team in the GCAA Hall of Fame. Bruce was the chairman of the NCAA Golf Committee from 1971 to 1975 and president of the Golf Coaches Association of America from 1977 through 1979.

Michigan State has won the title eight times, including in 2007, in the 41-year existence of the Fossum/Spartan Invitational.

* Tournament will not be held in 2008. Michigan State will host the 2008 Big Ten Championship for the sixth time in school history.

Fossum/Spartan Invitational History

YEAR	TEAM CHAMPION	SCORE	INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION	SCORE
1966	Michigan State	298--298	Al Thiess (MSU)	71--71
1967	Michigan State	308-305--613	Steve Benson (MSU)	75-74--149
1967	Michigan State	308-305--613	Steve Benson (MSU)	75- 74--149
1968	Michigan	363-383--736	Timo Kilpelaninen (Western Michigan)	68-74--143
1969	Indiana	362--362	Rod Sumpter (Michigan)	33-36--69
1970	Michigan State	378-376--754	Ron English (MSU)	73-74--147
1971	Michigan State	376-371--747	Jeff Reaume (Eastern Michigan)	66-78--144
1972	Michigan State	286-297--583	Dick Bradow (MSU)	70-72--142
1973	Ohio State	377-378--755	Steve Groves (Ohio State)	72-72--144
1974	Ball State	369--369	Tom McParlan (Michigan)	37-33--70
1975	Illinois State	382-383--765	Mark Weston (MSU)	74-73--147
1976	Ohio State	373-375--748	Harold Payne (Marshall)	74-68--142
1977	Ohio State	370-357--727	Ray Pontinen (Minnesota)	72-70--142
1978	Ohio State	364-363--727	John Cook (Ohio State)	68-68--136
1979	Ohio State	355-362--717	Dave Brilliant (Miami)	70-70--140
1980	Ohio State	357-346--703	Rocky Miller (Ohio State)	69-68--137
1981	Ohio State	368-365--733	Steve Lubbers (MSU) John Morse (Michigan)	69-75--144 75-69--144
1982	Ohio State	361-360--721	Greg Ladehoff (Ohio State)	73-68--141
1983	Ohio State	366-356--722	Dan Roberts (Michigan)	69-73--142
1984	Ohio State	370-369--739	Clark Burroughs (Ohio State)	71-70--141
1985	Notre Dame	297--297	John O'Donovan (Notre Dame)	72--72
1986	No Fossum/Spartan Invitational
1987	Michigan State	297-289-300--886	Jon Kosier (MSU)	72-69-75--216
1988	Illinois	290-312-289--891	Steve Stricker (Illinois) Mike Small (Illinois)	70-74-73--217 73-75-69--217
1989	Wisconsin	299-298-292--889	Jeff Schmid (Iowa)	69-72-72--213
1990	Illinois	293-282-287-301--1,163	Brent Kish (MSU)	71-70-74-66--281
1991	Minnesota	287-298-286--871	Dean Kobane (Michigan)	72-71-70--213
1992	Michigan State	284-289-295--868	Joe Gullion (Minnesota)	68-67-76--211
1993	Northwestern	301-294-290--885	Bert Roney (Northwestern)	72-73-71--216
1994	Ohio State	295-305-290--890	Eric Frishette (Kent State)	74-71-73--218
1995	Ohio State	287-291-294--872	Donnie Darr (Kent State)	70-74-67--211
1996	Minnesota	298-290-295--883	Aaron Barber (Minnesota)	75-72-69--216
1997	Northwestern	291-290-300--881	Randy Leen (Indiana)	71-70-73--214
1998	No Fossum/Spartan Invitational
1999	Illinois	298-288-287--873	Larry Nuger (Illinois)	68-68-72--208
2000	Kent State	288-285-297--870	Jess Daley (Northwestern)	72-69-70--211
2001	Northwestern	278-287-286--851	Luke Donald (Northwestern)	69-72-64--205
2002	Toledo	286-295-295--876	David Jones (Toledo)	73-74-69--216v
2003	Kent State Illinois	299-278-287--864 284-293-287--864	James Lepp (Illinois)	69-67-72--208
2004	Indiana	288-295-297--880	Jeff Overton (Indiana)	73-70-67--210
2005	Minnesota	292-291-284--867	Ben Greve (Minnesota)	70-74-66--210
2006	Indiana	292-283-295--870	Charlie Soule (Denver)	69-71-69--207
2007	Michigan State	279-284-278--841	Matt Harmon (MSU) Jack Newman (MSU Jason Kokrak (Xavier)	73-66-67--206 67-72-67--206 69-68-69--206

TEAM RECORDS

Low 18-Hole Score
278, Michigan State, 3rd round, 2007 (five golfers)
*278, Northwestern, 1st round, 2001 (five golfers)
282, Illinois, 2nd round, 1990 (five golfers)
346, Ohio State, 2nd round, 1980 (six golfers)

Low 36-Hole Score
279-284--563, Michigan State, 2007
*278-287--565, Northwestern, 2001
288-285--573, Kent State, 2000

Low 54-Hole Score
279-284-278--841, Michigan State 2007
*278-287-286--851, Northwestern, 2001
292-291-284--867, Minnesota, 2005
284-289-295--868, Michigan State, 1992

Low 72-Hole Score
293-282-287-301--1,163, Illinois, 1990

INDIVIDUAL RECORDS

Low 18-Hole Score 64, Cam Burke, Eastern Michigan, 2007
*64, Luke Donald, Northwestern, 2001
*64, Chris Thayer, Northwestern, 2001
66, Brent Kish, Michigan State, 1990
66, Jeff Reaume, Eastern Michigan, 1971

Low 36-Hole Score
64-71--135, Cam Burke, Eastern Michigan, 2007
68-68--136, John Cook, Ohio State, 1978

Low 54-Hole Score
*69-72-64--205, Luke Donald, Northwestern, 2001
73-66-67--206, Matt Harmon, Michigan State, 2007
67-72-67--206, Jack Newman, Michigan State, 2007
69-68-69--206, Jason Kokrak, Xavier, 2007

Low 72-Hole Score
71-70-74-66--281, Brent Kish, Michigan State, 1990

*Par-71 format used in 2001 due to golf course construction.