March 19, 2009
STATESBORO, Ga. – Making its fourth consecutive appearance in the 30th Annual Schenkel E-Z-GO Invitational, the University of Kentucky men’s golf team is set to challenge 18 of the nation’s best intercollegiate golf programs March 14-16, on the par-72, 6,962-yard Forest Heights Country Club in Statesboro, Ga.
Kentucky, fresh off a spectacular seventh-place finish last week against a very tough field in the General Jim Hackler Championship, seeks to continue its hot hand featuring the same starting line-up used in all four spring tournaments throughout the 2008-09 season. Senior co-captains Ben Fuqua and Andy Winings will anchor the starting line-up, followed by junior Jordan Blann, sophomore James Kania and freshman Mads Kristensen.
Kristensen, a native of Denmark, is fresh off his first top-10 performance as a Wildcat in last week’s General Jim Hackler Championship after tying his career-low round with a 71 in the first round.
Fuqua and Winings are the only two starters to participate in last year’s Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational. Winings led Kentucky finishing tied for 18th while Fuqua finished in a tie for the 33rd spot.
Kentucky’s top finish in the Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational came in its rookie appearance in March 2006 when they finished third after then-sophomore Brad Doster carded a 5-under-par 211 (69-70-72) to lead the Wildcats. As a team, the Cats finished with a 1-over-par 865 (285-288-292). In UK’s following two outings in the Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational they have finished 16th in 2007 and 8th in 2008.
The 2009 Schenkel E-Z-Go features five of the nation’s top 15 teams, seven ranked in the top 25, and 12 in the top 50, according to the latest GolfWeek polls.
Kentucky has finished in the top-10, as a team, in every tournament this spring while defeating some of the highest ranked teams in the nation, including the 2008 NCAA champion UCLA Bruins.
The field includes (with ranking): Alabama (2), Tennessee (8), Auburn (11), Florida (12), Michigan State (15), South Carolina (20), North Carolina (23), Alabama-Birmingham (29), North Carolina State (38), Augusta State (44), North Florida (46), Louisiana State (48), Kentucky (60), Minnesota (62), Notre Dame (72), host Georgia Southern (98), New Mexico (108) and Boston College (187).
Making their first appearance in the tournament are UAB, Boston College, North Florida and Notre Dame.
Top individuals include (with ranking): Michael Thompson – Alabama (2), Ryan Brehm – Michigan State (4), Kevin O’Connell – North Carolina (15), Clayton Rask – Minnesota (20), Jay Moseley – Auburn (21), Matthew Swan – Alabama (24), Billy Horschel – Florida (28), Matt Hill – North Carolina State (29), Jake Amos – Augusta State (31), Matt Hughes – Alabama (33), Mark Harrell – Alabama (36), Chris Paisley – Tennessee (38), Tyler Brown – Florida (39), Manuel Villegas – Florida (41), and Mark Anderson – South Carolina (46), according to Golfweek.
The activities will commence Thursday morning with practice rounds that begin at 9 a.m. (ET) Unlike past tournaments where 54 holes were scheduled into two days, this year’s format will feature three days of 18-hole competition played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tee time is slated for 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Sunday’s tee time is 8 a.m. (ET) The weekend’s activities will conclude Sunday with an awards ceremony beginning at approximately 3 p.m. (ET)
The Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational marks the first three-day, three-round tournament this spring for the Wildcats.
Fans can follow the action on-line with the latest statistics and results at Golfstat.com. For a full tournament recap following the conclusion of each day’s round log onto UKathletics.com.
