Tide Golfers Travel to Puerto Rico Classic This Weekend
2/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
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TUSCALOOSA – It’s back to course in quick succession for the University of Alabama golf team. The Crimson Tide, which finished second on Tuesday at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate at Sawgrass, begins play Sunday at the 2005 Puerto Rico Classic. The February 27-March 1 tournament is being held at Westin Rio Mar Beach Resort and Country Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
Playing for the Crimson Tide will be the same five who powered Alabama to a second place finish at the Mercedes-Benz, Clint Provost, Thomas Hagler, Gator Todd, Mark Harrell, and Joseph Sykora.
The tournament’s field of 18 teams is stellar as it includes all three of the nation’s top three ranked teams, No. 1 Oklahoma State, No. 2 Georgia, and No. 3 Georgia Tech, as well as six more ranked among the top 25 in the February 25 Golf Coaches Association of America poll. Also competing will be No. 11 Arizona State, No. 12 Duke, No. 17 Clemson, No. 18 Florida, No. 20 Kent State and No. 24 Minnesota, as well as four more, including Alabama, that are receiving rankings votes: Oklahoma, East Tennessee State and tournament host Purdue. Also in the field are Illinois, Michigan, Northwestern, N.C. State and Virginia Tech.
“It’s a great field,” said Alabama coach Jay Seawell. “The top three teams in the nation will be competing plus other powerhouses, so this is another great opportunity for us. I think we’ll be playing with a lot of confidence based on how well we played earlier in the week.”
At the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate, Alabama finished ahead of five Top 25 ranked teams, No. 12 Duke, No. 15 Augusta State, No. 19 Kentucky, No. 21 Georgia State and No. 25 Tennessee.
Alabama begins first round play on Sunday at the Puerto Rico Classic on the Par 72 River Course at Westin Rio Mar. Florida, the only team that finished ahead of Alabama earlier in the week, is the tournament’s defending champion.
