First of many
Florida Atlantic welcomes some top national programs to the first FAU Spring Break Championship golf tournament.
Originally published on
3/26/2009
by
Marcus Nelson
DELRAY BEACH - Getting some of the top teams in college golf to agree to come to South Florida wasn’t difficult.
Finding a place they could play wasn’t so easy.
That was the dilemma facing Florida Atlantic men’s golf coach Angelo Sands when he began looking into having the Owls starting their own tournament.
It was almost two years ago that Sands began talking to other coaches about a spring golf tournament
But, it took Gleneagles Country Club to agree to let FAU hold a tournament on its course for the Florida Atlantic University Spring Break Championship to be come a reality.
“If you get the course, you’ll get the teams,” Sands said. “For two years I knocked on doors before Gleneagles agreed. For them to give up their course is huge.”
The 14-team tournament, which includes Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Notre Dame and Ohio State begins Friday and will conclude Sunday.
Many teams from the Midwest, such as Ohio State, are always looking to play in warm weather this time of year.
“For a first-year tournament, it’s a great field” said Ohio State coach Jim Brown, who is retiring this year after 36 years. “It’s exciting and the members here really make you feel at home.”
For FAU, having its own tournament is the end of playing plenty of matches on the road. The Owls have not played host to a tournament since 1995.
“What we are trying to do is put FAU men’s golf on the map,” said Sands, in his second year of coaching at FAU.
Sands said the response has been so good to the first tournament, the plans are already in the works for next year’s event.
“We already have the dates for next year and we’re ready to rock and roll,” Sands said.
Florida Atlantic University Spring Break Championship
Where: Gleneagles Country Club, Delray Beach
When: Friday-Sunday
Teams (national ranking): Illinois (7), Michigan (40), Iowa (46), Eastern Michigan, FAU, Marquette, Memphis, Missouri, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, St. John’s, Wisconsin
Players to watch (national ranking): Mike Von Sickle, Marquette (11), Scott Langley, Illinois (13), Vaughan Snyder, Ohio State (31), Cole Peevler, Northwestern (35), David Lipsky, Northwestern (36), Peter Malnati, Missouri (44)