University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Conclude Fall Season at Bridgestone Invite
10/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
2010 Bridgestone Invite: The Gophers travel to Greensboro, N.C this weekend to play in their final event of the fall season, the Bridgestone Classic at Forest Oaks Country Club. Minnesota will head into the tournament on a high note, having recorded the program's lowest 54-hole score in over five years at last week's Alister Mackenzie Invitational with a combined score of 846. The Gophers finished tied for 10th in the event hosted by the University of California.
Site of the former PGA Tour stop, the Greater Greensboro Open, the par 72 Forest Oaks CC will play at a yardage of 7,200 yards for the event. Live scoring can be followed at www.golfstat.com.
Hosted by UNC-Greensboro, the tournament will feature a 36-hole shotgun format on Saturday and 18 holes on Sunday's final round. Play with begin at 7:30 a.m. Central on both days.
Joining Minnesota in the 14 team field with be Auburn, Charlotte, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi, North Carolina, Northwestern, Pepperdine, Toledo, UNC-Greensboro, VCU, and Virginia Tech.
According to the Golfweek/Saragin rankings, nine of the competing teams are currently ranked in the 100 nationally, including Minnesota at 65. Auburn (8), Pepperdine (25), Michigan (33), Northwestern (34), Charlotte (35), Mississippi (57), Virginia Tech (64) and UNC Greensboro (69).
Minnesota senior Donald Constable is the fifth highest ranked individual in the field at 71st in the Golfweek/Saragin rankings. Auburn's Niclas Carlsson (11), Pepperdine's Andrew Putnam (30) and Blayne Barber (41) and Northwestern's David Lipsky (66) are the only golfer's ranked ahead of the Gophers' captain.
This will be the fifth season that Bridgestone will serve as the tournament's title sponsor.
Last Time Out: The Gophers recorded their lowest score in the past five seasons with a 10th place finish at the 16-team Alister MacKenzie Invitational. Minnesota posted rounds of 279, 282, and 284 respectively for a 54-hole total of 846 in their fourth event of the season.
Erik Van Rooyen led the squad to their record low with a seventh place finish. Constable was the next best scorer in 14th. With the finish, he has now recorded top-20 finishes in all four tournaments this season.
After a two week absence from the lineup, sophomore Tim Peterzen returned and earned a tie for 57th. Fellow sophomore Shang Zhi and freshman Alex Guagert both tied for 64th. Gaugert's appearance in the tournament was the first of his collegiate career.
Next Up: This will be the Gophers final event of the fall season. Minnesota will begin its spring season at the Big Ten Matchplay on Feb. 11 in Coral Springs, Fla.
Players Mentioned
