Capone at NCAA Men's Golf Championships
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
May 25, 1999
1999 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, MN
Wake Forest senior Michael Capone comes to Hazeltine as the top
individual competitor from the East after a fifth-place finish at the NCAA
East Regional in Providence, R.I. - just a stone's throw from his hometown.
Although the Demon Deacons did not earn a team NCAA bid, Capone was one of
five individuals selected to the East Regional after an outstanding senior
year. He opened the event with an even-par 71, putting him in sixth place,
but a 75 in round two dropped him to 33rd and seemingly out of contention
for one of the two individual NCAA Championship bids. Capone rebounded
with a career-low tying 66 in the final round, however, to finish fifth
and advance to Minnesota.
FAST FACTS
Year: Senior
Height: 6-1
Hometown: Cranston, RI
High School: Bishop Hendricken
1998-99 Stroke Average: 72.5
Mastercard Ranking: No. 35
GolfWeek/Sagarin Ranking: No. 43
1998-99 Honors: All-ACC, Team MVP
CAPONE IN 1998-99
A 1999 All-ACC pick and Wake Forest's Team MVP, Capone has been the
Deacons' most consistent player this year. He has played in 13 events and
recorded a team-low 72.5 stroke average, earning five top 10 finishes and
three other top 20 showings. After challenging for medalist honors in
several spring events, Capone won the first tournament of his career last
month, carding three consecutive rounds in the 60s (68-68-69) to win the
Wofford Invitational. His 54-hole total of 205 tied the tournament record
and was seven strokes below his previous career best. Ranked No. 35 in the
nation, Capone has carded 21 of 37 rounds at or under par this year,
including career-low 66s at both the Carpet Capital Classic and the NCAA
East Regional. In his last six rounds of play, Capone has a 69.5 stroke
average.
CAREER NOTES
Capone has competed in 39 events in his collegiate career, posting
a 73.5 stroke average and seven top 10 finishes. He played in just two
events as a freshman, tallying a respectable 74.2 average, then went on to
enjoy a strong sophomore campaign. In 1996-97, Capone posted a 73.8
average and came on strong down the stretch, placing eighth at the ACCs and
sixth at the NCAA Championships to earn Honorable Mention All-America
honors. In his junior year, he held a 74.0 average in 12 events, but
finished in the top 20 just twice. As a senior, Capone has truly elevated
his game to a new level. He has trimmed his stroke average to 72.5
(including 72.1 in the spring), winning his first career title and earning
All-ACC honors. Capone has shot in the 60s 13 times in his career,
including eight times this year. He has played Hazeltine once before,
shooting 80-72-76=228 to place 29th in the 1996 Reliastar Invitational, his
third collegiate event.
CAPONE IN THE NCAAs
An NCAA veteran, Capone competed in post- season play in both 1997
and 1998. In 1997, he finished 11th at the NCAA East Regional and went on
to place sixth at the NCAA Championships, helping Wake Forest to a
runner-up team finish. Last year, Capone had a 29th-place showing at the
East Regional, as the Deacons failed to make the cut.
Michael Capone's NCAA Performances
1997 Regionals 71-76-71=218 11th
Nationals 75-70-71-68=284 6th
1998 Regionals 72-69-76=217 29th
1999 Regionals 71-75-66=212 5th
THE DEACS IN 1998-99
Wake Forest failed to land a team bid to the NCAAs for the first
time since 1966, snapping an impressive 32-year streak. Still rebuilding
under second-year head coach Jerry Haas, the Demon Deacons suffered from
their share of growing pains in 1998-99 despite Capone's consistent play.
The team finished in the top half of the field in only three of its 12
tournaments on the year - the G. Gunby Jordan Intercollegiate (5th of 15),
the Seminole Classic (7th of 16), and the Carpet Capital Classic (6th of
18).
WAKE FOREST IN THE NCAAS
Wake Forest has a long and storied NCAA history, which includes 39
NCAA Tournament appearances since 1949 and three national team
championships (1974, 75, 86). In addition, a Demon Deacon has captured the
NCAA individual title five times:
Wake Forest's NCAA Individual Champions
1949 Arnold Palmer
1950 Arnold Palmer
1974 Curtis Strange
1975 Jay Haas
1979 Gary Hallberg
CAPONE'S CAREER SCORECARD
Year Events Rounds Strokes Avg/18 Avg/54 Best 18 Best 54 Best Fin 1995-96 2 5 371 74.20 222.60 70 226 28th 1996-97 12 37 2732 73.84 221.51 68 214 6th 1997-98 12 33 2442 74.00 222.00 69 217 16th 1998-99 13 37 2684 72.54 217.62 66 205 1st Totals 39 112 8229 73.47 220.42 66 205 1st
CAPONE'S CAREER RESULTS
1995-96 Matlock Collegiate 70-75=145 28th Carpet Capital Classic 74-71-81=226 37th1996-97 Reliastar Invitational 80-72-76=228 29th Missouri Bluffs Intercoll. 79-72-72=223 37th TM Red River Classic 74-68-72=214 29th Jerry Pate Intercollegiate 75-73-77=225 35th Puerto Rico Classic 76-80-81=237 63rd Matlock Collegiate 76-70-69=215 13th Seminole Classic 76-74-74=224 31st Carpet Capital Classic 78-73-75=226 31st PING Intercollegiate 73-76-69=218 18th ACC Championships 76-73-71=220 8th NCAA East Regional 71-76-71=218 11th NCAA Championships 75-70-71-68=284 6th
1997-98 The Topy Cup 77-70-76=223 16th Ping/GolfWeek Preview 72-75-72=219 27th TM Red River Classic 72-73-75=220 16th Jerry Pate Intercollegiate 72-73-77=222 21st Rolex Match Play Champs. 1-1-1 -- Golfworld/Palmetto Dunes 72-71-75=218 31st Puerto Rico Classic 72-84-70=226 27th Golf Digest Invitational 72-75-77=224 39th Carpet Capital Classic 77-78-73=228 53rd BellSouth Intercollegiate 78-73-71=222 21st ACC Championships 74-76-73=223 37th NCAA East Regional 72-69-76=217 29th
1998-99 G. Gunby Jordan 70-74-71=215 6th Ridges Intercollegiate 70-75-76=221 32nd Windon Memorial 70-82=152 34th TM Red River Classic 70-69-74=213 16th Duke Classic 72-77-76=225 43rd Puerto Rico Classic 71-72-69=212 12th Seminole Classic 76-76=152 31st Schenkel Intercollegiate 71-69-78=218 10th Carpet Capital Classic 66-72-74=212 5th BellSouth Intercollegiate 77-72-78=227 43rd ACC Championships 74-71-75=220 12th Wofford Invitational 68-68-69=205 1st NCAA East Regional 71-75-66=212 5th
WAKE FOREST 1998-99 PLAYER STATISTICS
Name Events Rounds Strokes Avg/18 Avg/54 Best 18 Best 54 Best Fin Michael Capone* 13 37 2684 72.54 217.62 66 205 1st Oscar Sanchez 12 34 2553 75.09 225.26 70 221 6th Jay Morgan 9 25 894 75.76 227.28 70 220 8th Jamie Gallacher 10 28 2125 75.89 227.68 70 219 24th Juan Vizcaya 6 18 1387 77.06 231.17 71 225 40th Thomas Parker 7 21 1625 77.38 232.14 71 223 40th Ryan Peiffer* 4 10 776 77.60 232.80 73 225 31st Craig Inman 1 3 251 83.67 251.00 78 251 69th Team 12 34 10131 297.97 893.91 285 880 5th * competed in one event as an individual
PERCENTAGE OF ROUNDS COUNTED
Name Played Counted Percent Michael Capone 34 32 .941 Oscar Sanchez 34 32 .941 Jay Morgan 25 21.5 .860 Jamie Gallacher 28 21.5 .768 Thomas Parker 21 13.5 .643 Juan Vizcaya 18 11.5 .639 Ryan Peiffer 7 4 .571 Craig Inman 3 0 .000 TEAM 170 136 .800 (does not include rounds played as an individual competitor)
TOP 20 FINISHES
Name Event Score Place Michael Capone Wofford Invitational 68-68-69=205 1st Michael Capone Carpet Capital 66-72-74=212 5th Michael Capone NCAA East Regional 71-75-66=212 t-5th Michael Capone G. Gunby Jordan 70-74-71=215 t-6th Oscar Sanchez Seminole Classic 75-72=147 t-6th Jay Morgan Windon Memorial 70-73=143 t-8th Michael Capone Schenkel Intercollegiate 71-69-78=218 t-10th Michael Capone Puerto Rico Classic 71-72-69=212 t-12th Michael Capone ACC Championships 74-71-75=220 t-12th Michael Capone Taylor Made Red River Classic 70-69-74=213 t-16th Oscar Sanchez ACC Championships 74-72-75=221 17th