Demon Deacons Snap 32-Year NCAA Championship Run
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
June 9, 1999
WAKE FOREST MEN'S GOLF 1998-99 SEASON SUMMARY
DEACON DETAILS
Mastercard Team Rankings (6/8): Not ranked Mastercard Individual Rankings (6/8): Michael Capone No. 41 Golfweek/Sagarin Team Rankings (6/7): No. 60 Golfweek/Sagarin Individual Rankings (6/7): Michael Capone No. 69 Head Coach: Jerry Haas (Wake Forest '85), second seasonSEASON SUMMARY
Wake Forest failed to land an NCAA team bid for the first time since 1966, snapping an impressive 32-year streak. However, the Deacons' postseason torch was carried on by senior Michael Capone, who turned in an outstanding season and advanced all the way to the NCAA Championships as an individual competitor. Despite Capone's consistently strong play, however, the Demon Deacons suffered from their share of growing pains in 1998-99. Still rebuilding under second-year head coach Jerry Haas, the Deacs weathered a rocky year which saw them finish in the top half of the field in just three of 12 events: the G. Gunby Jordan (5th of 15), the Seminole Classic (7th of 16) and the Carpet Capital (6th of 18).
CAPONE REPRESENTS DEACS WELL AT NCAAS
Although Wake Forest missed out on a team bid to the NCAAs in 1999, Michael
Capone earned an individual bid to postseason play following an impressive
senior campaign. Capone recorded a 72.5 average in the spring and won his
first career tournament (the Wofford Invitational) to earn All-ACC honors
and a shot at the NCAA title. The Rhode Island native shot 71-75-66=212 at
the NCAA East Regional in Providence, R.I., earning one of two individual
bids to the NCAA Championships. Capone's late-season surge came to a halt
in Minnesota, however, as the senior shot 77-78 in the first two rounds of
the NCAAs to miss the 36-hole cut.
DEACONS PLACE 8TH AT ACCS
The Deacons struggled to an eighth-place finish at the 1999 Atlantic Coast
Conference Championships, carding a team score of 300-305-303=908 (+44) for
their lowest finish since 1994. Seniors Michael Capone and Oscar Sanchez
boith finished in the top 20, however, placing 12th (+4) and 17th (+5),
respectively. Rounding out the Deacon contingent were junior Jamie
Gallacher, who placed 36th (+17), senior Juan Vizcaya, who was 40th (+20),
and senior Thomas Parker, who finished 42nd (+21).
FIVE SENIORS CLOSE OUT CAREERS
Five of the 10 players on the Wake Forest roster exhausted their
eligibility in 1999, closing out their careers as Demon Deacons. The five
players combined to play in 111 events over the past five years, and at
least three seniors appeared in the Deacon lineup in 10 out of 12
tournaments this past year. Departing the Deacs are Michael Capone (40
career events, 73.5 career average); Oscar Sanchez (34 events, 75.0); Juan
Vizcaya (18 events, 76.1); Thomas Parker (18 events, 76.3); and Craig Inman
(1 event, 83.7). Capone was a 1999 All-ACC pick and an 1997 Honorable
Mention All-American, while Sanchez was an All-ACC choice in 1997. Capone
and Sanchez each own one individual tournament title (the 1999 Wofford
Invitational and the 1997 Carpet Capital Classic, respectively).
LOOKING AHEAD TO 99-00
The Deacs will field a relatively young and inexperienced squad next year,
returning just three players with any collegiate experience. And that trio
- rising senior Jamie Gallacher (13 events, 75.9 average); rising junior
Ryan Peiffer (4 events, 77.6), and rising sophomore Jay Morgan (9 events,
75.7) - has only played in 26 tournaments combined. Rising sophomores Bart
DeLuca and Cortland Lowe, both high school state champions, did not see
action in 98-99 but have high expectations for the future. In addition,
four talented rookies will have the chance to contribute immediately: Brent
Wanner, Chad Wilfong, Buck Williams, and Chris Yoder.
A LOOK AT THE DEACON LINEUP
Michael Capone (Sr, Cranston, RI)
1998-99 Avg: 72.8. Career Avg: 73.5. Ranked No. 41 in the final Mastercard
rankings and No. 69 in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings... earned All-ACC
honors and an individual bid to the NCAAs...shot 71-75-66=212 to finish
fifth at the NCAA East Regional (-1), thus advancing to the national
tournament...shot 77-78 at the NCAA Championships to miss the 36-hole
cut...posted the team's lowest stroke average on the year...won his first
career title at the Wofford Invitational, shooting 68-68-69 for a
career-low total of 205 (-11), which also tied the course record...placed
12th at the ACC Championships (+4)...recorded five top 10 finishes...shot a
career-low 66 twice, at the Carpet Capital Classic and the NCAA East
Regional, placing fifth at both events...his 66 was the lowest round by a
Deacon since Todd Lynch's school-record-tying 63 in 1996...tied for 10th at
the Schenkel Intercollegiate (+2)...sixth at the G. Gunby Jordan
(-1)...posted a team-low 73.3 fall average...21 of his 39 rounds were at or
under par...placed sixth at the '97 NCAAs to earn honorable mention
All-America honors...owns seven career top 10 finishes and 15 top 20s...on
track to graduate from WFU in December...plans to pursue a professional
golf career.
MICHAEL CAPONE IN 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 NCAA Championships 77-78=155 cutCraig Inman (Sr, Marietta, GA)
1999-99 Avg: 83.7. Career Avg: 83.7. Played in his first (and only) varsity collegiate event at the Wofford Invitational in April...placed 42nd in that event, shooting 78-85-88=251 (+35)...the son of WFU alumnus and 1998 Senior PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Joe Inman.
Thomas Parker (Sr, Laurinburg, NC)
1999-99 Avg: 77.4. Career Avg: 76.3. Competed in five spring
events...played in his first ACC Championships, placing 42nd (+21) ...had
his best outing of the year with a 223 (+7) at the Carpet Capital Classic,
finishing 40th...was 47th at the BellSouth Intercollegiate (+12) and placed
56th at the Schenkel Intercollegiate (+13)...opened the spring with a 66th
place finish at the Puerto Rico Classic (+16)...competed in two fall
events, posting a 79.3 average...a fifth-year senior who played in 18
career events...only top 10 finish of his career was a 10th place showing
at the 1997 Taylor Made Red River Classic, where he shot a career-low 70 in
the opening round.
Oscar Sanchez (Sr, Canary Island, Spain)
1998-99 Avg: 75.1. Career Avg: 75.0. Played in all 12 events on the year
and posted the second-lowest stroke average on the team...placed 17th at
the ACC Championships (+5)...earned the first top 10 finish since his
sophomore year at the Seminole Classic, placing sixth (+3)...tied for the
team lead at the BellSouth Intercollegiate, placing 27th (+6)...also placed
66th at the Carpet Capital (+12), 52nd at the Schenkel Intercollegiate
(+12), and 43rd at the Puerto Rico Classic (+8)...recorded a 75.2 average
in five fall events...owns five career top 10 finishes and three other top
20 showings...earned All-ACC honors in 1997...won the Carpet Capital
Classic as a sophomore in 1997, shooting a career-low 68 in the final round
to clinch the title...a member of the Spanish National Team.
Juan Vizcaya (Sr, Madrid, Spain)
1998-99 Avg: 77.1. Career Avg: 76.1. Competed in four spring
events...played in his second ACC Championships, finishing 40th (+20)...
placed 55th at the Carpet Capital Classic (+10) and 65th at the Schenkel
Intercollegiate (+17)...was 70th at the Puerto Rico Classic (+18)...posted
a 76.3 average in two fall events...shot a career-low 69 three times during
his career...owns one career top 10 finish, an eighth place at the '96
ReliaStar Invitational... also a member of the Spanish National Team.
Jamie Gallacher (Jr, Surrey, England)
1998-99 Avg: 75.9. Career Avg: 75.9. Played in five spring
events...finished 36th at the ACC Championships (+17)...posted his best
score of the spring at the BellSouth Intercollegiate, placing 27th at
6-over (222)...35th at the Wofford Invitational (+8), 55th at the Carpet
Capital Classic (+10), and 58th at the Seminole Classic (+13)...played in
five fall tourneys, recording a 75.9 stroke average...best career finish
was a 24th place at The Ridges Intercollegiate in the fall, where he posted
a career-low 219 (+3)...recorded five rounds at or under par...played in
three events in 97-98 and recorded a 75.9 average...shot a career-low 69 in
the '98 Golf Digest Invitational...the son of British Ryder Cup standout
Berhard Gallacher.
Ryan Peiffer (So, Winston-Salem, NC)
1998-99 Avg: 77.6. Career Avg: 77.6. Made the team as a walk-on last year
and saw his first taste of varsity action in 1998-99...competed in two
spring events: the Seminole Classic, where he placed 31st (+8) and the
Wofford Invitational, where he finished 38th (+9)...played in two fall
events, placing 70th at The Ridges Intercollegiate (+19 as an individual)
and 58th at the Windon Memorial Classic (+20)...a local product who
attended nearby Mount Tabor High School.
Jay Morgan (Fr, Choctaw, OK)
1998-99 Avg: 75.8. Career Avg: 75.8. A rookie who played in nine of 12
events...struggled a bit in the spring after a strong fall season...placed
70th at the Puerto Rico Classic (+18), 43rd at the Seminole Classic (+10),
62nd at the Schenkel Intercollegiate (+16), and 47th at the BellSouth
Intercollegiate (+15) in the spring...earned his first top 10 finish in
just his third collegiate event, placing eighth at the Windon Memorial
Classic in the fall (-1)...shot a career-low 70 twice in the fall, at both
The Ridges and the Windon Memorial...recorded a 74.5 average through five
fall events, the second-lowest average on the team.
HEAD COACH JERRY HAAS
Jerry Haas just wrapped up his second season as head coach of the Demon
Deacons, after having taken the reins of the Wake Forest program in
September of 1997. A 1985 graduate of WFU and a four-time collegiate
All-American, Haas played nine years of professional golf, including four
years on the PGA Tour, before returning to his alma mater as a head coach.
Still a talented competitor in his own right, Haas came just three strokes
shy of qualifying for the 1999 U.S. Open posting a 36-hole total of 143 at
the sectional qualifier on June 7th.
1998-99 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
Sept. 5-6 G. Gunby Jordan Intercollegiate t5th of 15 Sept. 12-13 The Ridges Intercollegiate 12th of 14 Oct. 5-6 Windon Memorial Classic 9th of 12 Oct. 12-13 Taylor Made Red River Classic 15th of 15 Oct. 18-19 Duke Golf Classic 12th of 15 Feb. 21-23 Puerto Rico Classic 13th of 18 Mar. 9-10 Seminole Classic 7th of 16 Mar. 27-28 Chris Schenkel Intercollegiate 12th of 15 Apr. 2-3 Carpet Capital Classic 6th of 18 Apr. 9-10 BellSouth Intercollegiate t10th of 12 Apr. 16-18 ACC Championships 8th of 9 Apr. 23-24 Wofford Invitational 9th of 13 May 20-22 NCAA East Regional Capone 6th of 120 June 2-5 NCAA Championships Capone cut after 361998-99 STATISTICS
Name Events Rounds Strokes Avg/18 Avg/54 Best 18 Best 54 Best Fin Michael Capone* 14 39 2839 72.79 218.38 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 * includes competition as an individualPERCENTAGE 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 Classic 66-72-74=212 5th Michael Capone NCAA East Regional 71-75-66=212 t-5th Michael Capone G. Gunby Jordan Intercollegiate 70-74-71=215 t-6th Oscar Sanchez Seminole Classic 75-72=147 t-6th Jay Morgan Windon Memorial Classic 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
