Sunday, April 15, 2007

MACON, Ga. (April 15, 2007) -  Beginning Monday, the Atlantic Sun Men's Golf Championship makes its first stop ever at The Golf Club at Sanctuary Cove in Waverly, Ga. The 2007 event marks the first time since 1998 that the A-Sun has held its men's championship in Georgia.

Last season, Jacksonville claimed its first ever team title with JU's Duncan Stewart repeating as the individual champion. This year, the No. 13-ranked ETSU men's golf team looks to dethrone the Dolphins and capture its first ever team and individual Atlantic Sun Conference titles.

However, Stewart returns in search of his third consecutive individual title, a feat that has never been accomplished in the men's championship. At the 2006 championship, Stewart won in a playoff against teammate Russell Knox. Stewart and Knox were two of three Jacksonville golfers to finish in the top-10 at the event, along with Jamie Kennedy, who finished in a fifth place tie with ETSU's Rhys Davies (Bridgend, Wales).

Davies is an eight-time A-Sun Golfer of the Month recipient since ETSU joined the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2005 and enters the 2007 A-Sun Men's Golf Championship ranked No. 1 in the nation by Golfweek. During the regular season Davies captured three individual titles, both coming during the month of March, and recorded a 54-hole stroke total of 202 at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate. His three-round total of 202 is the second-best in the Atlantic Sun this season, trailing only Campbell's Kyle Spahr.

Spahr shot a 201 at the Hartford Hawks Invitational. Part of his 201 included a round of 65. His 18-hole, 65 is the second-lowest single round of the season behind ETSU freshman Seamus Power (Waterford, Ireland). Tabbed the February Golfer of the Month in 2007, Power recorded a round of 64 at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate. Also shooting rounds of 65 during the regular season were Davies, North Florida's Jeff Dennis, Belmont's Jeff Lanier and ETSU's Cian McNamara (Limerick, Ireland).

ETSU's Power will battle for a top spot along with several other newcomers. The journey will likely not be smooth for the new faces to the event as eight last season's top-10 are returning to the competition. Along with the defending champion, Stewart, Knox and Kennedy return for Jacksonville to help the Dolphins in their title defense.

ETSU garnered a third-place finish last season after earning three individual top-10 finishes. Jordan Findlay earned ETSU's best finish, garnering a third-place spot. Davies finished in a fifth-place tie, followed by Gareth Shaw who grabbed a share of seventh place.

Following Shaw, ETSU's last two competitors finished 24th and 40th. The Buccaneers have to be on the list of heavy favorites, but ETSU will need more production out of the entire group overall to over-power and out-last a Jacksonville squad looking to make history.

BY THE NUMBERS
Lowest total of 2007 entering the tournament
Individual Low 18
Seamus Power, ETSU (64)
Individual Low 54
Kyle Spahr, Cambell (201)
Team Low 18
ETSU (272)
Team Low 54
ETSU (834)