Red Raiders Travel to Alabama as Fall Season Nears End
October 06, 2006 | Men's Golf
Oct. 6, 2006
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LUBBOCK, Texas - The Red Raider golf squad will take part in the 20th edition of the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate in Birmingham, Ala., beginning on Monday, October 9. The tournament will play out at the Old Overton Club. The Texas Tech team is coming off of a two-week stay at home after finishing in a tie for seventh at the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate. The first two rounds of the Jerry Pate will take place on Monday, with the conclusion occurring on Tuesday, October 10.
THE COURSE
Old Overton Golf Club in Birmingham, Ala., will once again host the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate, which is named after the course's designer. Jerry Pate co-designed Old Overton with Tom Fazio. The course was named the No. 1 new private course by Golf Digest shortly after its opening in 1993. Old Overton was also listed as the No. 2 best course in Alabama by Golf Digest in 2003. The 18-hole private course is marked as par 71 stretching over 6,936 yards.
THE TUCKER FIELD
Texas Tech will once again face-off against some of the top-ranked teams in the nation, including No. 3 Alabama. The Tide will host the event and come in having won each of their first two tournaments this fall. Four other competitors are ranked in the Golfweek/Sagarin performance index's top 25. Georgia State comes in at the No. 7 position with Purdue closely behind at No. 9. East Tennessee State is No. 13 and BYU is No. 24. Three more are listed in the top 50: No. 39 Tulsa, No. 40 Auburn and No. 45 Texas Tech.
Others competing are as follows, including their Golfweek rating: No. 58 UAB, No. 78 Arizona, No. 66 LSU and No. 139 Texas. All but LSU and UAB are either in or receiving votes in the GCAA/Bridgestone Coaches' Poll.
Eight of the 12 participating schools lists a player in the top 50 in the Golfweek individual ratings. Purdue's Tom Oliver will enter as the No. 6 rated student-athlete. LSU's Brian Noonan and Tulsa's Brett Myers are listed at 15 and 16, respectively, and complete the individuals who are listed in the top 25.
Tech has matched-up against eight of the schools in previous tournaments and has accumulated a 2-5-1 (.250) record against them. The two victories have come against Big 12 rival Texas and Arizona. The Red Raiders fell short of Alabama, Auburn, BYU, East Tennessee State and Georgia State, while they tied with Tulsa on one occasion.
THE LAST TEE
Tech was on pace to take home their first team title of the fall as they sat in a tie for first after the first round of the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate. The Red Raiders started to falter in the second round before play was suspended due to darkness, putting a halt on the completion of the round.
Following the third round, Tech had fallen to a tie for seventh with rounds of 286-305-295--882 (+18), eight shots from first-place finisher and host New Mexico.
Despite having three Red Raiders in the top 20 after one round, only one Tech member actually remained there. Oscar Floren led the squad with a sixth-place finish after carding rounds of 69-74-72--215, 1-under-par. Santiago Rivas and Garrett Merrell each tied for 31st after hitting an 8-over 224. Will Griffin turned in a 229 to finish in 66th. Jake Younan-Wise fell off of his earlier pace set in the fall and finished with a 230 to tie for 72nd.
Players Mentioned
