Wake Forest Men's Golf Announces 2008-09 Schedule
8/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Aug. 21, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM - The Wake Forest men's golf team has released its 2008-09 schedule which features return trips to seven tournaments from last season. One of those trips will be to the site of one of the Deacon's two wins last year at the General Hackler Championship in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The Deacons, who are the defending NCAA East Regional champions, will start the season at the Carpet Capital in Rocky Face, Ga., on Sept. 12-14. The tournament will once again be played at The Farm Golf Club, where the Deacs finished tied for 7th a year ago.
Two weeks later, Wake Forest will play in the Shoal Creek Intercollegiate hosted but Alabama-Birmingham. The tournament is set for Sept. 22-23 and will be played at famed Shoal Creek in Birmingham, Ala.
The Deacs then have a week to prepare for the VCU Shootout Presented by the VCU Medical Center on Sept. 29-30. This was the site of the Deacons lowest round of the 2007-08 season, a 14-under 274 in the final round on Hermitage Country Club's Manakin Course. Wake Forest finished third as a team despite placing three golfers in the top 15. Graduated senior Webb Simpson finished tied for ninth and senior Dustin Groves rebounded after a tough opening round with rounds of 69-67 to finish tied for 13th.
Wake will then travel to Macon, Ga., for the Brickyard Collegiate Championship hosted by Mercer. The tournament will be contested at The Brickyard at Riverside on Oct. 11-13. The Deacs will also send individuals to the Duke Coca-Cola Individual Collegiate that same weekend.
Wake Forest will round out the fall portion of the schedule with a return trip to the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate at the Ridges on Oct. 24-26. Led by Gielow's 5-under 67, his lowest round of the season, the Deacs carded a 10-under 278 in the second round last year en route to a seventh place finish.
The Deacons will crack the lid on the spring portion of the schedule on Feb. 14-15, at the Florida Gator Invitational.
Almost a month later, Wake Forest will look to defend its General Hackler title at the TPC Club of Myrtle Beach on March 8-9. Last year, the Deacs pulled off an improbable comeback as they trailed by 16 strokes heading onto the final round. Junior Travis Wadkins fired a one-under 71 to lead the team to a final round 292 and a three-shot victory.
The Deacons will then head to The Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate in Awandaw, S.C., on March 22-24. Wake has won two out of the last championships at The Hootie.
After a two-week layoff, Wake will complete the regular season at the NC State Intercollegiate at River Landing on April 10-11. Last season, the Deacs finished fourth at the NC State Inter.
The 2009 ACC Championship is set for the Old North State Golf Club in Uwharrie Pointe, N.C. on April 17-19. The Deacons finished fifth in 2008 behind Simpson's individual title. Gielow also had a nice tournament, finishing tied for 13th after a final round 69.
Gielow continued his strong play at the end of the season in 2008, posting a second place finish at the NCAA East Regional, which the Deacons won for the third time since 2005. This year, the regionals are set for the weekend of May 14-16 at one of six locations.
The NCAA Championship moves back to the state of Ohio at the Inverness Club in Toledo on May 27-30. Wake Forest has played at NCAA Championship five times in Ohio, winning two championships and finishing runner-up twice. The Deacs are also looking to make their seventh trip to the NCAAs since 2000.
