Feb. 10, 2006
ORLANDO - The UCF men's golf team will look to defend its title Monday and Tuesday at the UCF/Rio Pinar Intercollegiate when 18 teams vie for the title in the fifth-annual event at Rio Pinar Country Club. The teams will play 36 holes Monday and 18 holes Tuesday, beginning at 8 a.m. each day.
UCF took home championship honors last year and made it a clean sweep when Andreas Hoegberg claimed medalist honors in a three-way playoff. Despite playing on their home course, the Golden Knights will have an up-hill climb to retain the title as this year's field is expected to be tougher, with 11 of the 18 teams listed in the top 100 in the latest Golfweek rankings. UCF is currently ranked 75th in the country, while a year ago they were 49th prior to topping a field that included nine teams in the top 100.
"The field has gotten steadily tougher as the event has matured and this year is no exception," said UCF coach Nick Clinard. "We are excited about the challenge and are looking forward to seeing how we stack up heading into the spring season."
Clinard will have to search for a replacement within his roster for sophomore Ben Leong, who left school after the fall semester. Leong went back to his native Malaysia during the winter break to represent his country in some tournaments and then informed Clinard of his decision to stay and compete in some events this spring as an amateur before turning pro.
The teams will play 36 continuous holes beginning with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Monday. Play concludes Tuesday with teams starting on the first and 10th tees beginning at 8 a.m. The leaders will begin their Tuesday round at 9:30. The event is open to the public and there is no charge for admission.
2006 UCF/Rio Pinar Intercollegiate Field:
UCF
Davidson
Furman
Lamar
Louisville
Memphis
Mercer
Michigan
Ole Miss
Mississippi State
Nevada
South Alabama
South Florida
Southern Miss
Texas-Arlington
Tulane
UNC-Wilmington
Wichita State