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2008
Wingate University Men's Golf Team
Season Outlook
2008
Wingate University Men's Golf Team
Season Outlook
During the spring 2007 NCAA
Championship season, Wingate University’s young men’s golfers could not
match the record-setting pace of the fall. The team placed a disappointing
sixth in the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Championships at Lake
Hickory Country Club. The team record for lowest NCAA-era team round of 289
(+1) in the Anderson Invitational at Brookstone Meadows went into the record
books and posed a challenge for future
teams.
With
only graduated senior Garrett Davitt missing, the young but more
experienced Wingate men faced a stronger schedule during the fall season of
2007. They hoped to place higher against a strong field at the Cougar Point
Club on Kiawah Island, but the Bulldogs settled down in subsequent events
behind the low scoring of various players. Sophomore Spencer Percy
(Statesville, N.C.) led the Bulldogs to third place at Cross Creek
Plantation in Seneca (S.C.) with an even par 73-69=142 with senior Corey
Iacofano (Painesville, Ohio) close behind with a 147 total.
At Link
Hills Country Club (Greeneville, Tenn.), junior Shane Dyer
(Watertown, N.Y.) posted a two-over-par 144 and Spencer Percy a
three-over-par 145 to spark Wingate to a new NCAA-era team record round of
285 (+1) and a fourth-place finish. Two weeks later, junior Kevin
Robertson (Pottstown, Pa.) challenged the Woodlake Golf Club course in
Tazewell, Tenn. (Lincoln Memorial Invitational) with a 69-71=140 (-4) and
the ‘Dogs again lowered the NCAA-era team record round to 288 (even par) and
the NCAA-era event record to 581 (+5). As a result, Wingate finished a
strong third at the LMU Invitational).
At the
close of the fall season, Wingate was ranked number 13 in the NCAA Division
II South region. The South Atlantic Conference is strong; Tusculum,
Newberry, Lincoln Memorial, Lenior-Rhyne and Carson-Newman stand ahead of
Wingate in the regional rankings. The Bulldogs hear the challenge; the
gauntlet is down.
Seven
members of the Wingate squad competed in fall varsity events and most
established consistently low scoring averages. Percy led with an average of
73.9, followed by Robertson with 74.8 and Iacofano with 75.0.
Dyer,
Chet DeLong (Madison, Ohio) and Scott Caragher (Charlotte, N.C.)
contributed to varsity scoring with averages of 76. Varsity players
capitalized on their experience and managed to keep an impressive corps of
freshman players only nipping at the varsity heels. Zachary Harris
(Kernersville, N.C.) and Evan White (Hilton Head Island, S.C.) led
the Blue Team with Stuart Bryson (Motherswell, Scotland) and Trey
Hovis (Indian Trail, N.C.) not far behind. These freshmen played two
events and served notice that they will not be denied a varsity slot for
long.
Senior
Manuel Fossas (San Juan, Puerto Rico) competed in one Blue team event
and junior John Palermo (Chestertown, N.Y.) made one varsity and one
Blue event. The squad was rounded out by senior Justin Logan (Newmarket,
Ontario), sophomores Seth Girouard (Spofford, N.H.) and Ed
Winters (Washington, N.J.) and freshmen Neill Lindley (Snow Camp,
N.C.) and David Velasquez (Anarco, Veneuzela).
The
Wingate men’s golf approaches the championship season brimming with
confidence. They face a demanding challenge on premier courses with strong
fields. The month of February takes the varsity to The Hombre in Panama
City, Fla. and Pine Needles in Pinehurst, N.C. In March, events include
tournaments at the Country Club of Salisbury and Olde Sycamore Golf
Plantation.
The
Bulldogs will host the J. Ralph Hargett Memorial Intercollegiate Men’s
Golf Tournament at the Olde Sycamore Golf Plantation. A trip to Carolina
Sands Country Club will prepare the Bulldogs for the Food Lion South
Atlantic Conference Championship at Lake Hickory Country Club in April. The
Blue team will play at Crescent Golf Club, Olde Sycamore Golf Plantation and
Etowah Valley Country Club.
Will
more new team records be established? Will the men challenge for the SAC
championship? The Bulldogs think so; they have the talent and the drive. Two
things are certain…the Wingate men will compete with their best efforts and
represent the University well.
click
here for 2002 Food Lion SAC Spring Sports Festival photos
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Hickory, N.C.----The Newberry College men’s golf team shot a 866 (+22) to win the 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference tournament Tuesday at the Lake Hickory Country Club at Catawba Springs. The title was the first-ever SAC men’s golf tournament title in Newberry’s history.
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