Van Sickle Opens Play At College All-America Golf Classic

Nov. 19, 2007

El Paso, Texas - Marquette junior Mike Van Sickle is tied for 16th place following the first two rounds of the Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic, which began Monday at the El Paso Country Club. Van Sickle shot a combined 141, including a three-under par 68 in the second round.

"He started slow and didn't play all that well in the first round," said Marquette head coach Tim Grogan regarding Van Sickle's overall play. "But he played a solid back nine in the second round, good enough to finish middle of the pack. If he plays like he has all fall, the third round will be his best round. Hopefully he'll make some putts early on. That would really get him going."

Van Sickle carded a two-over par 73 in the first round after struggling to find his rhythm early on. He started the day with a birdie on the par-3 hole 10, but bogeyed two of his next three holes. Van Sickle finished the first round with five bogeys and three birdies, overall.

Van Sickle pushed his way to as low as four-under following a string of birdies on the back nine, including three in a row on holes 11, 12, and 13. It also took him just three shots on the Par-4 hole 15, but Van Sickle bogeyed the next hole to go back to three-under, where he would remain at the end of the day.

Atop the leader board is San Diego State's Aaron Goldberg, who finished Monday at nine-under after firing back-to-back rounds of 66 and 67. Today's low round went to Webb Simpson of Wake Forest, who shot a nine-under 62 on the first round.

The College All-America Golf Classic, regarded as the top individual collegiate tournament in the country, will conclude with the third round on Tuesday. Van Sickle was one of only 31 players in NCAA Division I invited to this year's event, and Marquette University will receive a $1,000 scholarship for his participation. Past tournament champions and PGA players include Ricky Barnes, Notah Begay, Davis Love III and Tiger Woods.