Tide Readies to Host Conrad Rehling Golf Tournament This Weekend
3/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
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TUSCALOOSA - Home is where the Crimson Tide men's golf team can be found this weekend, March 12-14, when it plays on familiar ground and hosts its own tournament.
The University of Alabama plays host team to the Conrad Rehling Spring Invitational. It will be held at Ol' Colony club in Tuscaloosa. The 54-hole event begins on Friday morning at 8 a.m. Second round play will begin at that same time Saturday, and the third and final round will be contested on Sunday beginning at 8 a.m.
The annual event is named after Alabama's former coach who led Alabama's golf program for 17 years before retiring in 1988. Rehling, who coached Alabama to its highest ever national finish, third in 1975, was voted Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year twice within four years, in 1979 and again in 1983. Two of his star pupils at Alabama are among PGA golf's biggest stars, Jerry Pate and Steve Lowery.
"We moved it to Ol' Colony this year," said Alabama head men's golf coach Jay Seawell. "We're excited about having it closer to campus and hopefully we'll get some of the Tuscaloosa community to come out and watch some good golf. It's free, so it's something you can bring your family to watch and enjoy.
"We've got some good teams coming in. Georgia State is one of those, and they're coached by Matt Clark who played here and was an assistant coach here. They just won a tournament down at Florida State, so he's got a good team. And we have three other teams from the SEC, Ole Miss, Kentucky and Mississippi State. Kent State, where Ben Curtis went to school is coming down, so we have some good northern teams. It gives them a chance to get into springtime. And Jacksonville State (2003 NCAA tournament participant) is probably the best team coming right now. It's a good field and it's a great event, so we're excited about hosting it. We need to win it though. It's a tournament we need to win for many different reasons: to boost our confidence, to help us in our goal to make it to the NCAA tournament, and it's a tournament we need to play well in because it's on our home course."
Thirteen teams will compete, including Alabama, UAB, Jacksonville State, Notre Dame, North Florida, Ole Miss, Toledo, Georgia State, Kent State, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Michigan State and Tulane. Alabama's first team tee-time on Friday is at 10:20 a.m.
Seven players on Alabama's roster will compete in the tournament, five as Alabama's official team and two who will enter as individuals. Lars Brovold, Clint Provost, Max Alverio and Lance Walker are among the five players who will compete for the team championship for Alabama. The final slot will be filled by the winner of a qualifier on Wednesday between Austin Hynson and Dwight Rogers. Whichever player does not make the team roster will compete as an individual along with Stewart Whitt.
