April 27, 2007
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF men's golf team will be among 11 league squads competing for the Conference USA Championship in Texarkana, Ark., this weekend. The three-day, 54-hole tournament begins on Sunday, April 29 at the Texarkana Country Club (Par 72, 6,935 yards).
Unlike most league championships that are hosted by a C-USA institution, the league office will serve as the official tournament host for the 2007 Championship.
"We are trying something different with this championship and putting it in a neutral area," Chris Woolard, the C-USA assistant commissioner for sports services, said. "It's still in a central location geographically to where most of our schools can make the drive and that was important to us.
"It's a great golf course and the club is excited to be hosting the event and they have been very accommodating. I think our golf coaches are going to be really pleased with the tournament." Texarkana is just over the Texas state line into Arkansas and is about 200 miles from Dallas where the league headquarters are located.
Two of the five golfers that will be in the Knights' line-up this weekend have C-USA Championship experience. Sophomore Greg Forest (Palm City, Fla./Martin County) tied for 11th as a freshman in 2006, while junior Giwon Suh (Orlando, Fla./Olympia) tied for 36th. The duo helped lead the Knights to a runner-up finish in 2006 as UCF finished six strokes behind defending champion SMU.
"We are not real familiar with the course we are playing, but I know the guys are ready and going in with the attitude that we can win it," head coach Nick Clinard said. "We have been practicing really well here in Orlando. Now, it's just a matter of taking that good play to Arkansas with us."
Joining those veterans will be sophomore Preston Brown (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Nease) and a pair of freshmen; Mike Stern (Miami, Fla./Killian) and Nuno Henriques (Funchal, Portugal/The Pendleton School). Clinard has used the same line-up for the last four tournaments the Knights have played.
The Knights have posted four top five finishes during the season.
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports.