Sept. 22, 2015
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The San José State University men's golf team opens their 2015 fall season on Friday, September 25 at the Golfweek Conference Challenge in Burlington, Iowa.
The three-day tournament at the 7,360-yard par 72 Spirit Hollow Golf Course will feature 15 teams from 15 conferences, including last year's NCAA champion LSU.
Joining the Spartans in the field will be: Army (Patriot), Charleston Southern (Big South), Eastern Michigan (MAC), Furman (SoCon), Idaho (Big Sky), Iowa (Big Ten), Kansas State (Big 12), Long Beach State (Big West), LSU (SEC), North Carolina State (ACC), Pacific (WCC), Southern Illinois (MVC), SMU (AAC) and VCU (A-10).
Spartans head coach John Kennaday is excited to be returning to the tournament for the third time in his coaching career.
"We are looking forward to another great tournament and tremendous challenge at Spirit Hollow. We love the golf course and the expectations are, we're going to have quite a challenge ahead of us," said Kennaday, where his squad finished seventh out of 12 teams in last year's tournament.
Kennaday will open his 11th season at San José State with a starting lineup of: sophomore Matthew Ashley, senior Cody Blick, senior Taylor Bromley, sophomore Scott Munger and sophomore Matthew Murray, a junior college transfer.
All but Murray have previously played at the Spirit Hollow course.
"Its always helpful knowing the golf course you're going to, particularly in the preparation. When you know you're going to a tournament on a golf course you've played before, you start to feel it in your practice. You can even go out and practice and play the shots that you remember hitting that the golf course required so taking guys that have been there before helps out and gives us a better preparation," said Kennaday.
While the experiences of his squad will help, Kennaday said it is not something that could be passed along to a newcomer, such as Spartans first-year player Matt Murray. However, the coach heaped praised for Murray in naming him to the starting lineup.
"From a standpoint of a junior college transfer, he's pretty tactical out there. Strategically, he's very sound. He thinks his way through the angles, he thinks his way through the golf course about as effectively as I've seen coming out of junior college so we're excited to have him in the lineup. He's a tremendous talent and a welcome addition to the starting lineup."
The field will play 18 holes each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The first two days will have tee times beginning at 9:00 a.m. CT off of the first and 10th tees. The final round on Sunday will be a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. CT.
Fans can follow all of the action with live scoring updated provided by Golfstat.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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