October 21, 2008
CU finishes 5th on Bayou; Svajlen 78th
DESTIN, Florida (October 21) – A strong push in the final round vaulted the Cameron Aggie men’s golf team into the top five at this week’s Indian Bayou Classic in Destin, Florida. The twelve-team event was hosted by North Alabama University and was played at the Indian Bayou Golf Club. CU’s total team score in the event was 604 (304-300). Full statistics and results will not be made available by North Alabama until Wednesday.
“We did better in the second round and were actually in the hunt for a while,” Head Coach Jerry Hrnciar said. “We were playing really good golf through eleven holes, and then it got tough. There were some bright spots but our putting was not good at all for those who didn’t play well. Putting is still our biggest problem.”
Columbus State won the team title with an overall score of 569 (287-282). There were no other Lone Star Conference teams participating in the tournament. While CU’s finish was not exactly what they were hoping for, Coach Hrnciar said the team was able to come away with a few positives.
“What we have been able to do is pinpoint what we need to work on the most, and where we need to make a big improvement from the fall to spring season,” Coach Hrnciar said. “We will pinpoint what each player needs to work on and take our weakest area and make it our strength by the spring, per player.”
Junior Michael Lee led the way for Cameron with a 147 (73-74) with junior Brett Leavell following close behind with a 148 (76-72). Leavell’s second round score was CU’s lowest round of the tournament.
Senior Joe Konieczny finished with a 150 (76-74) in the event. Rounding out Cameron’s five scores were junior Robbe Trout with a 159 (79-80), and freshman Garrett Smith with a 171 (86-85).
The Aggies were once again with out senior standout Peter Svajlen, who is currently on his way back from Adelaide, Australia, where he represented his home country of Slovakia in the 2008 World Amateur Team Championships. The WATC are basically the Olympics of golf.
Svajlen led his home country to a tie at 44th place in the 65-country tournament. Slovakia’s team score was a 616 (+36, 158-147-153-158). Scotland won the event with a team score of 560 (-20, 136-137-140-147). Rickie Fowler of Oklahoma State University and the United States of America won the individual championship with a 280 (-10, 68-67-70-75).
Individually, Svajlen finished in a tie for 78th place with a four-round score of 302 (+12, 77-72-75-78). He was Slovakia’s top finisher in the event. The tournament was played at both The Royal Adelaide Golf Club (Par 73, 7215 yards) and The Grange Golf Club (Par 72, 6930 yards).
This week’s golf is the final action for the Cameron men’s golf team this semester. CU’s next tournament is the tentatively scheduled Sam Houston State Intercollegiate on March 12-14, 2009. The tournament will be played at the Augusta Pines Country Club in The Woodlands, Texas.
“Now it’s time to do some hard work in our offseason training,” Coach Hrnciar said. “We need to get the mental game in better shape. I know we are better than we played this fall, and we need to be better this spring to have a shot at the (NCAA) Regional tournament. We need to play well and are already looking forward to the spring season.”