Marquette University Athletics
Men's Golf To Take on Conference
4/23/2001 12:00:00āÆAM | Men's Golf
April 23, 2001
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After a hectic week, Marquette concludes its season with the 54-hole Conference USA Championships. The Golden Eagles prepared for the event by playing a 36-hole event on April 16-17 and a weather-shortened 36-hole event on April 20-21.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT AND FIELD
Three 18-hole rounds will complete the 2001 Conference USA Championships. The first round will be held in the morning on Monday, April 23. Successive 18-hole rounds will take place on Tuesday, April 24, and Wednesday, April 25.
Joining Marquette in this year's 12-team C-USA Tournament are: Charlotte, Cincinnati, DePaul, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Saint Louis, South Florida, Southern Miss, Tulane and UAB. Marquette is 11-4 head to head with other C-USA teams this season.
Teams will field five golfers with the four best scores of each round going toward the team score.
THE CLUB AT HIDDEN CREEK
The Club at Hidden Creek will play host to the C-USA Championships for the second-straight time. The course was voted "Best Golf Course in Northwest Florida" by the Pensacola News Journal. Designed by Ron Garl in 1988, the course has played host to qualifying rounds for the U.S. Open. This is the first course in three tournaments that MU will play that plays to a par 72.
LAST TIME AT THE C-USA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Marquette began a late season struggle as it competed in the C-USA Championships. Fresh off a win at the 2000 Billiken Invitational, Marquette reversed its fortune, finishing last of the 12 team field at the C-USA Championships. MU shot a 921, 64 shots behind champion Houston. The Cougars were the only team to complete the event under par, finishing at seven-under.
Three players -- Andy Sanders of Houston (-4), B.J. Staten of Houston (-1) and Chris Delvin of UAB (-1) -- played better than par. Marquette's top finisher was Mark Wentz, who shot a 10-over, 226, to place him 28th. Two other MU golfers from last year return to play Hidden Lakes. Edvins Erkmanis shot a 234 last year and Brad White carded a 239. Last Time Out
The Marquette golf team placed 16 of 19 teams at the deep FirstEnergy Collegiate in Ravenna, Ohio. The tournament was scheduled for 54 holes, but was shortened to 36 after the first day was truncated due to standing water on the course.
Marquette shot a first round 304 and followed up with a 309 in the second day to finish at 53-over par. Tournament hosts Kent State won the event with a 14-over, 574.
Mark Wentz continued his strong spring season as he led the club in scoring for the second time during the week. The MU senior carded a 77 in first-round action and responded with a 71 in the second round.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Golden Eagle senior Mark Wentz has been the team leader for MU this season. He has led the team in scoring in five of nine events. In the tournaments in which he was MU's best finisher, Wentz is averaging a 73.8 score per round.
Also playing well for MU heading into the C-USA Tournament, senior Edvins Erkmanis has followed Wentz up as MU's no. 2 scorer in the past two events.
PLAYER UPDATES
Mike English
English has participated in one tournament in the spring, shooting a 247 at the Ron Smith Intercollegiate in Tampa to open the spring. He competed in two fall events, with his best tally coming at the Hillman Robbins Intercollegiate with a 217.
Career Records
Rounds 53Strokes 4,171Average 78.70Low 18 69
Edvins Erkmanis
Erkmanis has taken part in all but one tournament of the 2000-2001 season, missing the Hawkeye Intercollegiate. His best finish of the season was a 13th place result at the Billiken Invitational.
Career RecordsRounds 77Strokes 5,928Average 76.99Low 18 69
Mike Everson
Has not competed for Marquette in his career.
Matt Hilton
Hilton led Marquette in scoring on two occasions this season. He shot 216 both times to lead the team with those total scoring at the Robbins Intercollegiate and the Pirate Spring Intercollegiate. Hilton is one of three MU golfers to play every round this season. He has two top 10 finishes on the year.
Career RecordsRounds 28Strokes 2,127Average 75.96Low 18 70
Jason Navarro
Has not competed for Marquette in his career.
Ryan Weber
Weber is a talented freshman that has made an immediate impact on MU this season. He has finished with the Marquette best score once this season, a 222 at the Kauai Collegiate Cup, and he was in second place after the first two rounds of the Pirate Spring Intercollegiate before falling to ninth.
Career RecordsRounds 22Strokes 1,688Average 76.73Low 18 70
Mark Wentz
Wentz has been MU's most consistent golfer over the course of the season. He has played in every event of the year, leading the team in scoring on five occasions. Wentz has a pair of top five finishes on the season and is a strong candidate for the All-Conference USA Team.
Career RecordsRounds 99Strokes 7,549Average 76.25Low 18 68
Brad White
White has taken part in every round that Marquette has played in this season. He shot a career best 69 in the Hawkeye Intercollegiate, in which he shot a 226 to finish 21st. White has led the team in scoring on three occasions, shooting 214 at the Legends of Indiana and 233 at the Ron Smith Invitational.
Career RecordsRounds 47Strokes 3,629Average 77.21Low 18 69
