Colorado State University Athletics
Men's Golf Preview: Irish Spring Invitational
3/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Next on the Tee... After a week off from competition the men?s golf team will head to Orlando, Fla., to compete in the 2005 Irish Spring Invitational hosted by the University of Notre Dame. The tournament will be played at the Mission Inn Resort (El Campeon Course).
Irish Spring Invitational... The 2005 Irish Spring Invitational will be played on March 7-8 at the 6,923/Par 72 El Campeon Golf Course at the Mission Inn Resort in Orlando, Fla. El Campe?n ?The Champion,? was built in 1926, and is one of the South?s oldest golf courses. Here, course architect Charles E. Clarke of Troon, Scotland, blended unusual elevation changes of more than 85 feet with features of traditional golf design. The course?s signature hole is the par 5, 17th, a long, double dogleg that has more obstacles than some entire courses.
Tournament Field... The expected tournament field will consist of 13 teams: Ball State, Colorado State, Penn State, Rollins, Bowling Green, Eastern Kentucky, Mississippi State, San Diego State, Wichita State, Cleveland State, Notre Dame, Richmond and Washington State.
Tournament Format... The format of the tournament will be a 54-hole stroke play, with the low four scores counted each round for the team total. Rounds one and two will be played on March 7 with a shotgun start and continuous play. Round three will be played on March 8 with a tee time start on holes No. 1 and No. 10 beginning at 8:00 a.m.
John Burns Intercollegiate Recap... The Rams are coming off a 12th place finish at the John Burns Intercollegiate in Wahiawa, Hawaii. Senior John Hayes had the best finish for the Rams. Hayes carded a one-under 71 and finished in a tie for 15th place with BYU Cougar Oscar Alvarez. Hayes came out hot in the first round firing a five-under 67 and finished in the top 20 for the second time this season.
Junior Kevin McAlpine shot a three-round 214 to earn a tie for 33rd place. Sophomore Derrick Whiting also had a solid first round carding a 68, but struggled in the final round of the tournament firing a five-over 77 and a tie at 46th place.
Freshman Praneeth Perera and sophomore Aaron Weston both finished with a three-round 229 and a tie at 101st. Perera?s lowest round came in the first round where he shot a two-over 74. Weston carded an opening round three-over 75, but struggled on the final day with a six-over 78.
New Mexico won the tournament with a 54-hole total of 833, two strokes ahead of runner-up UNLV. The Rebels? Ryan Moore fired an eight-under 64 on the third day to bring his total to 196 and take home the individual title and finish seven strokes ahead of the second place finishers.
Ram Notes... Colorado State was ranked No. 76 in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin performance index. John Hayes fired a 67 in the first round of the John Burns to beat his career low round of 68 shot in the 2003-2004 season. Junior Kevin McAlpine is ranked 8th in stroke average for the MWC.
