April 9, 2006
ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- Thirteen of the nation's top men's college golf teams, including 20th-ranked Wake Forest, will participate in the inaugural U.S. Collegiate Championship here Monday and Tuesday at The Golf Club of Georgia.
The 54- hole event - 36 holes Monday and 18 holes Tuesday - will be the final regular season tournament for the Demon Deacons. Live scoring for the tournament is provided online at Golfstat.com.
Host Georgia Tech, ranked fourth in the nation in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index, headlines the field which also includes defending national champion Georgia, as well Alabama, Brigham Young, Clemson, East Tennessee State, Florida, Florida State, Georgia State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Christian and Wake Forest. Nine teams rank among the nation's top 20 teams in the most recent Golfweek/Sagarin ratings, five among the top 10, and all 13 are ranked in the top 50.
Of the nation's top 50 individuals, 20 of them are represented in the field, including Wake Forest sophomore Webb Simpson (No. 23) and senior Kyle Reifers (No. 32). Also representing Wake Forest will be senior Doug Manchester, sophomore Chris McCartin and freshman Marc Gladson.
Wake Forest enters the tournament riding a wave of momentum. The Deacons recently finished first at the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate - Wake's second tournament victory of 2005-06.
The tournament's course conditions promise to be as first-class as the quality of its teams. Players will wear long pants and have caddies (Wake Forest has traditionally worn long pants). The course will not be roped, allowing galleries an intimate opportunity to walk with the competitors, as is the case with the club's annual Georgia Cup match (March 29) between the United States and British Amateur champions.
The Golf Club of Georgia, a 36-hole Arthur Hills facility north of Atlanta named "Best New Private Course in America" in 1991 by Golf Digest, also has been announced as the host site for the 2007 NCAA East Regional Championship.
