Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Golf prepares to kick off spring season
02/26/2010 | 12:00:00 | Men's Golf
Feb. 26, 2010
By Dana Ingraham
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois men's golf team is set to begin the spring portion of its schedule, as the Salukis travel to Jackson, Tenn. to compete in the Grover Page Classic, beginning Monday, March 1.
The 54-hole tournament, hosted by UT-Martin, will last until Tuesday and is scheduled to be played at the 6,783-yard, par-72 Jackson Country Club. Play will begin Monday morning with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.
Southern will travel its three seniors, Jordan Cox, Blake Driskell and Patrick Scheil, in addition to the team's two freshmen, Jake Erickson and Jeffrey Miller, to round out SIU's five-man team. Head coach Leroy Newton has positive expectations about his squad's first outing of 2010.
"I am excited and anxious for us to get out on the course and play," said Newton. "It will be a good starting point to see how far we have come with the limited time we have had to prepare as a result of the weather."
Host UT-Martin is in contention to defend its title from the 2009 tournament, which was shortened due to weather conditions.
The Salukis will look to make their mark on the 16-team, 88-player field with all five golfers having gained valuable experience during the fall season. In five fall tournaments, Cox, Driskell and Scheil combined for nine finishes inside the top-20, and four inside the top-10. Newcomers Erickson and Miller have worked at adjusting to playing at the collegiate level, and Newton is confident that they can make significant contributions as well.
"I am expecting our seniors to lead the way and the freshmen to continue to prove themselves," he said. "I think we are ready, and we have the potential to really start the season off on a high note."
