Eagles Set to Host Mizuno Savannah Intercollegiate
10/18/2009 4:32:00 PM | Men's Golf
STATESBORO, GA – As the two-time defending champion, the Georgia Southern golf team will look to close out its fall campaign looking to continue its championship streak at the Mizuno Savannah Intercollegiate (October 19-20). A 15-team field will challenge for the title, contested at the Savannah Quarters Country Club.
Showcasing the tournament will be: Armstrong Atlantic State, Davidson, East Carolina, Elon, Florida Gulf Coast, Furman, Georgia College & State University, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Old Dominion, Samford, Troy, Winthrop, Wofford, and host school, Georgia Southern.
“It's nice to end the fall campaign with a home course advantage, on a course we play quite a bit. We enjoy playing Savannah Quarters and hopefully we can go out, play well and finish the fall season on a high note,” said head coach Larry Mays. “Including us, there are six teams in the field from the Southern Conference competing. Beyond our conference schools, there are a scattered few from around the area, but it is mainly a local field. We originally set up the tournament to give our conference teams a chance to see each other compete in the fall.”
The teams will play 36 holes on Monday and conclude the tournament with the final round on Tuesday. The tournament begins with a shotgun start Monday morning at 8:30 a.m. For the second year, the fall tournament will be challenged at Savannah Quarters Country Club, a Greg Norman-designed course that is a par 72, 7,016 yard layout.
“It is a challenging course with plenty of hazards. At first sight, the course can be visually intimidating to someone playing it for the first time. For newcomers, it is typical to shoot big numbers,” stated Mays on the course. “Hopefully we will eliminate those numbers on our team and play well.”
Completing the traveling five for the Eagles will be redshirt-freshman Florian Sander (Bregenz, Austria), seniors Ryan Zabroske (Alpharetta, Ga.), Matt Deal (Statesboro, Ga.) and Spence Fulford (Rocky Mount, N.C.), and junior Joe Monte (Chantilly, Va.). Georgia Southern will play one individual in junior Coleman Calhoun (Vidalia, Ga.).
As a wildcard in the lineup last season, Zabroske has opened his senior campaign setting new collegiate lows within the first three tournaments of the season. In the opening tournament, the Eagle picked up his first 'Top 5' finish and took second place at the Adams Cup of Newport Collegiate with a personal-best tournament 209 (-7). Zabroske leads the Eagles this season with a 71.75 stroke average through 12 rounds.
Concluding his first fall season, redshirt-freshman Sander has displayed a strong start to his collegiate career. Through nine competitive rounds, the Eagle owns a 73.00 stroke average, for the second-lowest average on the team. Sander has two 'Top 10' finishes in the fall, including a ninth-place tie at SpringHill Suites Intercollegiate and a 10th-place tie at Gary Koch Intercollegiate.
Senior Fulford matched an all-time program low round of 18 at the SpringHill Suites Intercollegiate firing a second-round 63. Fulford completed the tournament tied for third at 8-under 208. For the season, Fulford owns a 73.75 stroke average. Monte follows behind with a 74.00 average as senior Deal will appear in his third tournament of the fall.
“Collegiate golf has gotten very competitive with every hole counting. As the two-time defending champion, we'd like to keep the streak going and defend our title on our home course,” Mays said. “But more than anything, we want to play well with a complete team effort. This is our last fall tournament and a good finish will leave us with a positive feeling before spring competition.”
Complete results from each round of the tournament will be posted on the tournament page at www.GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com. For more information on the tournament, click here to access the tournament page.
