MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama men's golf team opens the spring season on familiar ground when the program plays host to the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday.
Action is set to get underway Monday with an 8 a.m. (CST) shotgun start, with 36 holes scheduled to be played at the Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course. The final round the following morning will begin from split tees on the first and 10th holes.
After 54 holes of qualifying, Peter Staalbo will lead a Jaguar lineup that also includes Rasmus Karlsson, Brooks Rabren, Yannick Schütz and Jason Mendel. Sylas Elliott, Stephen Wall and Justin Choi will participate in the USA Individual Tournament on the Magnolia Grove Falls Golf Course, with play beginning in the event at 8 a.m. on both Monday and Tuesday.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (host): Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate (South Alabama)
Dates: 2/12-13 (Monday-Tuesday)
Format: 36 holes Monday, 18 holes Tuesday
Start times: 8 a.m. (CST) shotgun start Monday, 8 a.m. start from split tees Tuesday
Course: Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course (par 72, 7,212 yds)
Live scoring: http://results.golfstat.com//public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=14401
THE FIELD (16)
Abilene Christian, Central Arkansas, Florida State, Illinois State, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, Nicholls, Notre Dame, Oral Roberts, Richmond, Samford, South Alabama, Southern Mississippi, Western Kentucky
THE JAGUAR LINEUP
-Peter Staalbo (Jr., Lejre, Denmark; 7 rds, 80.43 avg, 77 low 18, 235 low 54)
-Rasmus Karlsson (So., Fiskars, Finland; 12 rds, 74.589 avg, 67 low 18, 214 low 54; 3 rds =/- par)
-Brooks Rabren (Jr., Andalusia, Ala.; 9 rds, 73.11 avg, 1 T20, 68 low 18, 212 low 54; 4 rds =/- par)
-Yannick Schütz (So., Friolzheim, Germany; 6 rds, 73.00 avg, 1 T20, 71 low 18, 218 low 54)
-Jason Mendel (Sr., Norcross, Ga.; 12 rds, 74.33 avg, 69 low 18, 217 low 54; 1 rd =/- par)
-*Sylas Elliott (Sr., Cullman, Ala.; 12 rds, 72.50 avg, 2 T20; 66 low 18, 213 low 54; 4 rds =/- par)
-*Stephen Wall (So., Madisonville, La.; 6 rds, 78.00 avg, 74 low 18, 232 low 54)
-*Justin Choi (Fr., Niles, Ill.; 3 rds, 81.67 avg, 80 low 18, 245 low 54)
*denotes competing in the USA Individual Tournament
TEE SHOTS
-In addition to the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate, the USA Individual Tournament — with 40 participants this spring —will be held at the same time at the par-71, 7,158-yard Magnolia Grove Falls Golf Course.
-It is the fifth straight season that the Jaguars will open the spring playing host to the event, and the 11th consecutive year the tournament has been contested.
-While the Jags have not yet won the tournament, they matched their best finish at the event after coming in second a year ago with a 5-under-par 859 group score; that included a 278 total over the opening 18 holes, matching the low team round in the event's history.
-USA had four individuals shoot par or better over 54 holes at last spring's tournament, led by Rabren's 3-under-par 213 total that was tied for third in the individual standings; Mendel and Elliott tied for 11th individually as well, two shots behind Rabren.
-This marks the first time Staalbo will be in the Jaguar lineup since the season-opening Sam Hall Intercollegiate Sept. 11-12.
-South is coming off its best fall performance after placing third in a field of 12 teams at the Steelwood Collegiate Champions the final weekend of October.
THEY SAID IT
Head coach Ben Hannan
On the team's preparations for opening the spring at home: "With school getting back in session about a month ago the guys have returned the course and worked hard to knock the rust off and get back into tournament mode. We did some individual work before we started qualifying, things are going well and the guys are excited to get the spring season going."
On his goals and expectations for the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate: "Since it is a home event the guys obviously desire to show up and play well, but the focus for us needs to be on the process and not the outcome. We need to concern ourselves with getting better every week as we prepare for the end of the year. Our focus hasn't changed from the beginning of the season, we want to take care of what we can control and the let the results fall where they may."
On continuing to build on the momentum of the last two fall tournaments: "We got healthy — that certainly helped — qualifying has been competitive, and we have a deep and talented team. I think the trick for us this week is staying patient, sometimes on your home golf course you start to press a little and force things to happen and in this game that never seems to work out well. If we control what we can and take care of our business, hopefully the good play from the fall will continue as we move forward this spring."
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Join the Birdie Club — the men's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Birdie Club go directly to support the South Alabama men's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/birdieclub.
—USA—
