Troy University Athletics
Trojans Open Spring Slate In New Orleans
2/19/2010 5:00:00 PM | Golf (M)
The Troy University men's golf team will open its spring schedule this weekend when the Trojans play in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Mardi Gras Invitational at the TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La.
The event will open on Sunday with practice rounds for all 15 teams on the Pete Dye designed course, which also plays host to the PGA Tour's annual Zurich Classic.
The teams will then play 36 holes on Monday and will conclude the tournament on Tuesday with 18 holes on the par 72, 6,931-yard layout. Tee times on both days are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. The event is scheduled for a shotgun start on Monday, with split tees on Tuesday.
Troy's squad for the event will include senior Justin Eaves (Louisville, Miss.), juniors Reid Merritt (Slocomb, Ala.), Zach Portemont (Andalusia, Ala.) and Chase Whitehead (Eufaula, Ala.) along with sophomore Rourke Van Der Spuy (Bluff, KwaZuluNatal, South Africa).
“The guys are ready to go,” Trojans coach Matt Terry said. “We have been getting after it hard for five weeks and they are ready to go compete. They are playing well and need to build on what they did in the fall. They were playing better and they need to get to the top of a tournament to taste that.”
Van Der Spuy will be making his first tournament appearance of the year. He did not qualify to play in any of the fall events but, after a trip home over the Christmas break, he qualified ahead of juniors Hunter Harper (Bessemer, Ala.) and Ricky Casko (Cartersville, Ga.) and freshman Kyle Blackston (Elizabethtown, Ky.) for the opening event of the spring.
“Rourke came back from South Africa ready to play,” Terry said. “He is in the right frame of mind and is hitting it well. All five guys are hitting it well, which is a key at the TPC Louisiana. This is the first time in a few years that we are leaving guys home that are playing well. That makes me excited about our chances this spring.”
The tournament field includes five Sun Belt Conference teams plus the nationally-ranked North Carolina State squad. Sun Belt schools include host New Orleans, UALR, UL Lafayette and ULM. Other teams in the field include Austin Peay, Campbell, Centenary, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Nicholls State, San Diego, Southeastern Louisiana and Wichita State.
“NC State is ranked 28th in the country and San Diego is coached by Tim Mickelson, Phil's brother,” Terry said. “Wichita State and Campbell are both very good and Southeastern Louisiana won a couple of tournaments in the fall. With the four other Sun Belt schools, we are going to have to play really well to get into the hunt.”
The event will open on Sunday with practice rounds for all 15 teams on the Pete Dye designed course, which also plays host to the PGA Tour's annual Zurich Classic.
The teams will then play 36 holes on Monday and will conclude the tournament on Tuesday with 18 holes on the par 72, 6,931-yard layout. Tee times on both days are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. The event is scheduled for a shotgun start on Monday, with split tees on Tuesday.
Troy's squad for the event will include senior Justin Eaves (Louisville, Miss.), juniors Reid Merritt (Slocomb, Ala.), Zach Portemont (Andalusia, Ala.) and Chase Whitehead (Eufaula, Ala.) along with sophomore Rourke Van Der Spuy (Bluff, KwaZuluNatal, South Africa).
“The guys are ready to go,” Trojans coach Matt Terry said. “We have been getting after it hard for five weeks and they are ready to go compete. They are playing well and need to build on what they did in the fall. They were playing better and they need to get to the top of a tournament to taste that.”
Van Der Spuy will be making his first tournament appearance of the year. He did not qualify to play in any of the fall events but, after a trip home over the Christmas break, he qualified ahead of juniors Hunter Harper (Bessemer, Ala.) and Ricky Casko (Cartersville, Ga.) and freshman Kyle Blackston (Elizabethtown, Ky.) for the opening event of the spring.
“Rourke came back from South Africa ready to play,” Terry said. “He is in the right frame of mind and is hitting it well. All five guys are hitting it well, which is a key at the TPC Louisiana. This is the first time in a few years that we are leaving guys home that are playing well. That makes me excited about our chances this spring.”
The tournament field includes five Sun Belt Conference teams plus the nationally-ranked North Carolina State squad. Sun Belt schools include host New Orleans, UALR, UL Lafayette and ULM. Other teams in the field include Austin Peay, Campbell, Centenary, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Nicholls State, San Diego, Southeastern Louisiana and Wichita State.
“NC State is ranked 28th in the country and San Diego is coached by Tim Mickelson, Phil's brother,” Terry said. “Wichita State and Campbell are both very good and Southeastern Louisiana won a couple of tournaments in the fall. With the four other Sun Belt schools, we are going to have to play really well to get into the hunt.”
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