The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Red-Hot Blazer Golfers Head To Tunica National
10/31/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Oct. 30, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The red-hot UAB men's golf team heads to Tunica, Miss., Monday and Tuesday to play in the Tunica National Collegiate hosted by Ole Miss. Alan Kaufman's Blazers are coming off two straight tournaments in which they recorded upsets of ranked teams.
UAB was third in the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate hosted by Alabama Oct. 10-11. The Blazers established a new 54-hole school record with a three-round total of 842. Garrett Osborn took the tournament's individual title with a school record-tying 197. His 16-under par score bested the nearest competitor by nine strokes. UAB's finish put them ahead of seven ranked teams and just behind No. 6 Georgia Tech and No. 1 Georgia.
The Blazers finished third in their own Shoal Creek Intercollegiate as well with Osborn finishing tied for sixth at four-under par. The second round saw four Blazers shoot sub-par scores which helped UAB upset three ranked opponents.
"We've been playing good golf, but not our best golf," Kaufman said. "As the season goes on, you hope to improve. If we continue to get better from where we have been, we're going to be in pretty good shape."
UAB will send its same five to the course Monday, led by junior Garrett Osborn. The Mountain Brook, Ala., product is the third-ranked individual in the nation according to the Golfweek/Sagarin computer ratings. Osborn will be joined by senior Clark Brown, sophomore Kaylor Timmons and freshmen Josh Thompson and Zack Sucher in the Blazers' lineup.
"Our top five have been performing very well for us this year," Kaufman said. "Garrett certainly has been a standout for us, but the other four have to play well for us to do well as a team. It's not a one-man show and they all know that. For us to be a good golf team, all five of them have to shoot well. They have had the right focus so far."
The Tunica National field includes the host Rebels, No. 24 Kent State, LSU, SMU, North Florida, UNC Greensboro, Colorado, Mississippi State, Lamar, Tulane, Belmont, South Alabama, Jackson State, College of Charleston. The tournament replaced the LSU Intercollegiate on many schedules. That tournament was cancelled after Hurricane Katrina.
UAB Men's Golf Tournament Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
