Aug. 14, 2008
LEXINGTON, Ky. — After makings its ninth NCAA Championship appearance a year ago, the Kentucky men’s golf team has released a challenging 10-tournament regular season schedule for 2008-09, UK head coach Brian Craig announced.
“We have a superb schedule with a few new tournaments lined up for this upcoming season,” Craig said. “As always, we will be playing against the best competition in Division I golf. We will also have the opportunity to play some of the most challenging courses in collegiate golf to help prepare us for the demanding courses that we will face in the post-season. I am looking forward to this new year and the opportunity it brings for our team to improve and return to national prominence.”
Kentucky will open its season September 13-14 at the Wolf Run Intercollegiate, held at the Wolf Run Golf Club in Zionville, Ind. A trip to Franklin, Tenn., to participate in the Mason Rudolph Intercollegiate at the Legends Club prepares the Wildcats for a challenging trip to La Quinta, Calif., on October 13-14.
UK will wrap up its fall season with the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational in Windermere, Fla., held at the Isleworth CC.
The spring season begins with the third consecutive trip to Florida for the Jacksonville University Invitation, held February 16-17 at the TPC Valley Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. UK will make its final trip of the year to the sunshine state for the Rio Pinar Invitational, held on the Rio Pinar Country Club in Orlando, Fla.
UK will then travel to Mrytle Beach, S.C., for the General Hackler Championship held on the TPC of Myrtle Beach, March 8-9. The Wildcats return to the Schenkel EZ-GO Invitational in Statesboro, Ga., before the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate, in Awendaw, S.C., on March 29-31.
Rounding out the regular season will be the annual UK Bluegrass Invitational, held on UK’s home course, the University Club of Kentucky (Big Blue Course), on April 11-12.
The Southeastern Conference Championships will be held on St. Simons Island, Ga., at the Frederica Golf Club on April 17-19. The NCAA Regional Championship will be held on May 14-16, with a location to be released and the NCAA Championships will be at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio on May 27-30.
A year removed from having six of its 10 roster members underclassman, Kentucky returns a veteran, talented team, led by seniors Andy Winnings and Ben Fuqua. Fuqua, a native of Danville, Ky., played a good amount for the Wildcats this past season, racking up several top finishes and an overall 75.09 scoring average. Winnings, an All-SEC selection and native of Brownsburg, Ind., finished his 11-tournament season with a team best 72.46 scoring average. Both Fuqua and Winings have had impressive summers, and will play an instrumental role in the success of the Wildcats this season.
“It is nice to know that Andy Winings has one more year to represent the University of Kentucky,” Craig said. “He is a tremendous player who works as hard as anyone that I have ever coached. I am also excited about the progress that Brian Belden and Ben Fuqua have made since the spring semester. Both have become very, very good players in the amateur golf world and should play a major role in our success this year.”
Kentucky will also welcome two incoming freshman, who have the potential to have an immediate impact on the lineup, Joseph Barr and Seth Blann.
“Joseph Barr and Seth Blann are our two incoming freshmen and I think that both will have a great chance of playing in the starting line-up right from the start,” Craig said. “Joseph has played quite well on the national junior scene and Seth has won most all of the major junior events in Kentucky. They are both very talented and confident players and It will great having them join our team and help us to get better.”
