Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Swings Back into Action
2/20/2008 3:13:18 PM | Men's Golf
Men’s golf team opens the spring at the Ron Smith/USF Invitational, Feb. 29-March 2
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MEN’S GOLF SWINGS BACK INTO ACTION AT THE RON SMITH/USF INVITE: After 136 days away from the links, the Eastern Michigan University men’s golf team swings back into action at the Ron Smith/USF Invitational, Feb. 29-March 2. The Eagles and Bulls will be joined by 16 other teams at the Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club in Dade City, Fla.
While this event has been going on for many years (either as the Ron Smith or Dick Wittcoff Invitational), this is the second time it will be held at Lake Jovita. Previously, it had been held at the University of South Florida Golf Course.
The field includes: Arkansas State, Austin Peay State, Columbus State, DePaul, Florida Southern, Jacksonville State, Marquette, Middle Tennessee, Missouri, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Southeastern Louisiana, Texas-San Antonio, Troy, VCU and Xavier.
EMU Selected a Team to Watch by GolfWeek.tv: Eastern Michigan was picked as one of three teams to watch for in 2008 according to GolfWeek.tv’s "What’s Cookin’ in the Swamp". Besides EMU, Bowling Green State University and Indiana University were also mentioned as other teams to keep an eye on this spring. The Eagles, ranked 71st in the nation according to GolfStat, posted a 219-70 record in the fall. The squad is averaging a four-over 291.1 during five tournaments.
MEN’S GOLF PLACES FIFTH AT MIZUNO SOUTHBRIDGE INTERCOLLEGIATE: Redshirt freshman Brad Larente fired a six-under par 66 in the final round of the Mizuno Southbridge Intercollegiate to place fourth with a two-day total of 211 (73-72-66). Behind a 275 in the final round, the Eagles climbed the leader board to finish in fifth place with a two-under 862 (295-292-275), as host Georgia Southern claimed the tournament title following a playoff with a 856 (286-284-286).
Larente’s final round 66 is the lowest of his young career and is the lowest 18 hole round by an EMU golfer since Bryan Haase fired a 66 in the first round of the Xavier Invitational, Oct. 2, 2006. Overall the score is the fifth lowest in school-history and just the sixth round of 66 in the program’s history.
Junior Christopher Ross followed with a one-under 215 (72-75-68), while senior Graham Hill tied for 27th with a 219 (77-72-70). Sophomores Brandon Lemons and Cam Burke rounded out the lineup with a 222 (73-73-76) and a 231 (79-81-71), respectively.
