Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Golf continues season at Branson Creek Invitational
04/02/2006 | 12:00:00 | Men's Golf
April 2, 2006
By Matt Crouch
www.siusalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University men's golf team heads into the final leg of its season this week as the team travels to Branson, Mo. for the Branson Creek Invitational. The 54-hole event is set to begin Monday, April 3 with the first 36 holes and the final 18 scheduled for Tuesday, April 4.
The Saluki men's golf team last competed at the Branson Creek Invitational in 2004. SIU carded a three-round total of 908, tying for eighth place.
The Salukis enter the tournament after taking a week off following its Spring Break trip to Texas. SIU finished 11 th and fifth, respectively, at the Sam Houston State Bearkat Classic and the Stephen F. Austin Crown Classic while on the trip.
Senior Chad Cooper posted top finishes for SIU in both events with his best being a third-place finish at the Crown Classic. Cooper also shot a 5-under-par 67 in the Bearkat Classic, a career best and SIU team best this season.
"Chad (Cooper) has been playing really well lately and Sean McNemar and Roger Welch have been really consistent the past few weeks," said SIU Head Coach Leroy Newton.
"I think we are peaking at the right time. We have one more regular season tournament after Branson Creek and then the Missouri Valley Conference Championship. We can work some things out these last few weeks and should be in good position when it comes time for MVCs."
McNemar and Cooper lead the team this season in stroke average. McNemar leads the team with a 73.8 while Cooper has an even 74.0 average. Junior Andrew Gwinup also comes into this mix with a 74.6 average.
Cooper was also named MVC Golfer of the Week on March 23.
The Branson Creek Invitational is being contested at the Branson Creek Golf Club in Hollister, Mo. The par-71 course will stretch to 7,036 yards for the tournament.
The Salukis will see some familiar competition at the tournament as MVC members Creighton, Missouri State and Northern Iowa are competing at the event.
Other teams competing this week include: Arkansas State, Nebraska, Oral Roberts, Saint Louis, South Dakota State, Missouri-Kansas City and Western Illinois.
Action is set to begin at 8:30 a.m. Monday with a shotgun start.
