Austin Peay Sports Information
Robbie Wilson Era to unfold in South Carolina.
Hilton Head, SC – Austin Peay State University men’s golf team will open the 2015 Spring season, Monday and Tuesday, as it plays in the 10th Annual Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate on Hilton Head Island.
The 54-hole tournament (36 holes, Monday, and 18 holes, Tuesday) will be played on the 6,828-yard, par-72 Wexford Plantation course.
“I wish we could have played that first week I was hired and gotten it out of the way,” Wilson said. “We are anxious to get started.”
After six rounds of qualifying, Wilson will be taking a five-player group that is diverse in experience: freshmen Justin Arens, who led the qualifying efforts at 1-over, and Andres Navarette; senior Tucker Wallace, who shot a 4-under on the final day to earn a berth; two juniors, Austin Kramer, who played No. 1 much of the fall, and Tyler Phillips, the local product who followed his college coach from Trevecca to APSU. It will be Phillips’ first tourney as a Governor.
Kramer finished two strokes back of Arens in qualifying at 3-over with Wallace at 5-over, just ahead of Naverrete (6-over) and Phillips (7-over).
Junior Chris Baker and freshman Jonas Vaisanen, who were two of the Govs top three golfers in the fall, are notable absences. Baker continues his recovery from mononucleosis while Vaisanen has been struggling recovering from a wrist injury.
“I’ve been excited to get out and compete for a while and I know our guys are too,” Wilson said. “The winter can be difficult at times because you are at the mercy of the weather for quality practice but I feel up to this point we have had some really good days. Although recent snow and cold temperatures have kept us inside, I know these guys are prepared and we expect to compete.”
The Govs actually departed Friday to gain some additional practice and playing time in Georgia, courtesy of current Mercer and former Govs coach Kirk Kayden, who has arranged for the Governors to practice in Macon.
In addition to the Governors, the 19-team tourney field will include host Francis Marion, Campbell, Charleston Southern, Cleveland State, Dayton, Elon, Furman, Georgia Southern, Ohio, Presbyterian, Radford, Richmond, Tennessee Tech, USC Aiken, Virginia Commonwealth, Western Carolina, Wofford and the College of William & Mary. USC Aiken is the defending champion while Georgia Southern won it two years ago.
Live scoring will be available daily here.
