Alabama Men Open Spring Golf Schedule at John Hayt Intercollegiate
2/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Feb. 20, 2009
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Alabama's fourth-ranked men's golf team opens its 2009 spring schedule on Sunday, February 22, at the John Hayt Intercollegiate at the Sawgrass Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla.
The 54-hole event will be played over three days, Feb. 22-24, at the par-72, 6,294-yard layout. The Crimson Tide returns as the two-time defending champions of the event after posting impressive victories in 2007 and 2008.
The Tide headlines a 15-team field that includes, No. 10 Arizona State, No. 14 Tennessee, No. 16 TCU, No. 23 Chattanooga, No. 24 Duke, Coastal Carolina, Furman, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, LSU, UNC-Wilmington, North Florida, Tulsa and UAB.
Alabama's lineup will consist of one senior - Matthew Swan - and four freshmen. Swan, a three-time All-SEC selection, brings a wealth of experience to the course with six-career rounds on the tract. He finished tied for sixth at the John Hayt Intercollegiate in 2007 and tied for 21st in 2008. Swan's 71.50 scoring average is second on the Alabama squad, and he ranks 28th nationally in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index.
True freshman Bud Cauley makes if fifth career start for Alabama in a return to his hometown of Jacksonville, Fla. The rookie enters the tournament with a 71.08 scoring average, the lowest on the team. Cauley ranks 13th nationally in the most recent Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index.
Hunter Hamrick leads a trio of redshirt freshmen, including Spencer Cole and Hunter Slatton. Hamrick boasts a 74.0 scoring average and is fresh off of a strong fall season for the Tide. Slatton, who is tied for second on the team in scoring average at 71.50, is making his third start in the Crimson and White and is coming off of a tie for 11th at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate in his last outing. Cole is making his second-career start after a 28th-place showing at the UCF-Isleworth Collegiate.
Alabama will then depart Jacksonville for the Puerto Rico Classic at the Rio Mar Country Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. The Tide is the defending champions of the Puerto Rico Classic and Swan is the defending medalist. The three-round, 54-hole event runs from February 27-March 1.
Players Mentioned
