Jan. 28, 2011
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s golf team opens its 2011 spring season at the Arizona Invitational, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, at the Arizona National Golf Club. The Invitational is the first major college golf event of the spring season.
The 2011 rendition of the invitational is a 54-hole event, contested at Arizona National, a par-71, 6,793-yard course. The field will complete 36 holes on Monday, Jan. 31 with continuous play scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. MST. The final 18 holes are scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 1.
New to the Arizona Invitational is a format in which each varsity team will be playing together as fivesomes, as opposed to the more conventional format in which each player is matched up with players from other schools in their group.
“It’s a new format, so it’ll be interesting to see how it works out,” head coach Glen Millican said. “We’re looking forward to it.
The Lobos have finished near the middle of the pack at the Arizona Invitational over the past two years, coming off a ninth-place finish last season and eighth place the year before. The Lobos won the team title in 2005, carding a 12-under-par 289-280-271=840.
Live scoring is available at Golfstat.com, via the following link:
http://www.golfstatresults.com/public/index.cfm?tournament_id=2449
GoLobos.com will post both a recap and the final results from each day.
THE FIELD
Of the 16 teams taking part, two are ranked in this week’s Golfweek/Sagarin collegiate team rankings, which includes Brigham Young, California (13), California-Irvine, California-Riverside, Fresno State, Hartford, New Mexico, Pacific, Pepperdine, San Diego State (14), Texas-El Paso, Texas-San Antonio, UNLV, Utah and host Arizona (two squads).
LOBO LINEUP
Head coach Glen Millican will send the following players as members of the varsity squad: 1) Travis Ross 2) Tom Carlson 3) Sam Chavez 4) John Catlin 5) Sam Saunders. Playing as an individual will be Ryan Gay, Shane McDonald and Alex Estrada.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Sunday, Jan. 30: Practice Round, 1 p.m. MST
Monday, Jan. 31: First Round, 8 a.m. MST (Second Round follows immediately)
Tuesday, Feb. 1: Third Round, 8 a.m. MST
2010 CHAMPIONSIndividual: Rich Saferian, Arizona (68-66-66=200, -13)Team: California (269-274-280=823/-29)