Sept. 8, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
OPENING DRIVE: The Lobo men’s golf team is set for its season opening trip to the 26th annual Topy Cup at Tanagura Country Club in Tanagura, Japan. The Lobos will be joined by American counterparts Charlotte, Lamar and UC Irvine in the field that also includes seven Japanese teams. Action begins on Tuesday, Sept. 9, with 18 holes on each of the three-day event.
Head coach Glen Millican guided New Mexico to the Topy Cup title on the last trip the Lobos made to the event in 2004. Millican’s squad shot a 17-under 847 (285-279-283) for his seventh career win and the last Topy Cup win by an American team. This season the Lobos will tee off with seniors Jon Sauer and Steve Saunders, juniors Nick Geyer and Brandon Putnam and freshman James Erkenbeck in the line up.
New Mexico has already started off 2008-09 strong with the JV squad earning a 4th place showing at the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational last weekend. UNM usually sends its first team to the Falcon Invite, but the group had already left for Japan. It is a good sign for things to come this season since the 4th place finish at the Falcon Invite is already better than any showing UNM had all of last year.
THE FIELD: New Mexico will be going against three other American teams and seven Japanese squads. Charlotte, Lamar and UC Irvine will all be making the trip. Charlotte’s 15 wins over the last three years ties Lamar for the most tourney wins in the nation over that time span. In the last four years, Lamar has won a nation’s best 18 events while Charlotte boasts 17 wins, tied for second most in the country with Oklahoma State. Charlotte is ranked 19th in the preseason top-30.
Tohoku Fukushi University has won the last three tournament titles and Japanese schools have captured 13 of the last 17 championships. New Mexico was the last U.S. school to win, placing first in the 2004 tournament.
THE COURSE: The Topy Cup will be played at the 7,127-yard, par-72 Tanagura Country Club in Tanagura, Japan.
RESULTS: Results can be found on the University of New Mexico web site at www.GoLobos.com following the conclusion of competition on each day.
LOBO PLAYERS: Lobo head coach Glen Millican will go with seniors Jon Sauer and Steven Saunders, juniors Nick Geyer and Brandon Putnam and freshman James Erkenbeck at the Topy Cup.
JV GOLFERS AT THE FALCON INVITE: The Lobos finished in fourth place at the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational in Colorado Springs, Colo. New Mexico shot an 869 (291-288-290) in the 54-hole event at the Eisenhower Course hosted by the Air Force Academy. Colorado State won the tournament with a three-round total of 837 (276-284-277). UNM sent a junior varsity contingent to the Falcon Invite with the rest of the team already in Japan preparing for the Topy Cup. UNM was led by senior Jacob Lestishen (72-72-75), sophomore Tom Carlson (76-73-70) and freshman Shane McDonald (77-70-72) who all tied for 24th with a 54-hole total of 219. Freshman James Gehrke shot a 222 (70-79-73) to tie for 39th while sophomore Alex Zannes tied for 52nd with a 226 (73-73-80). Senior Parker Pemberton actually had the best showing of the Lobos in the tournament. He played as an individual and tied for 12th with a 217 (70-75-72).