STATESBORO, Ga. — The LSU men’s golf team will participate in the 2003 Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational on Saturday and Sunday at Forest Heights Country Club in Statesboro, Ga.
The 23rd-annual event will feature a 15-team field, including 10 teams currently ranked in the Golfweek top 25 poll. No. 1 Clemson highlights the field that includes No. 4 Augusta State, 9th-ranked Florida, and No. 6 Wake Forest. Twelve of 15 teams in the field are currently ranked in the nation’s top 50. Augusta State is the defending champion, shooting a 1-over par 865 a year ago to win the event for the first time.
LSU has won the Schenkel one time in school history, with its lone victory coming in 1989. The Tigers have five top-5 finishes all-time in the tournament. LSU placed eighth last season, 13 strokes behind champion Augusta State.
The Tigers are coming off an 11th-place finish at the Conrad Rehling Alabama Invitational last weekend in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Sophomore Heath West paced LSU with a 30th-place finish. West shot a 10-over par 223. The Dothan, Ala., native is second on the team with four top-20 finishes and a 73.1 stroke average. West tied for 20th place last season at the Schenkel, shooting a 4-over par 220.
LSU will go with a lineup of West, Humphries, freshmen David Aitchison and Aaron Smith, as well as sophomore Brandon Aydlett this weekend.
“This is going to be a very tough tournament because it is historically one of the best each year in the country and this field, as always, is tremendous,” said LSU head coach Greg Jones. “We need to stay focused and try to shoot some low numbers to give ourselves a chance to do well.”
Senior John Humphries has been the Tigers’ steadiest player this season, leading the squad with a 72.5 stroke average, six top-20 finishes, three top-10 finishes, and one victory. Humphries is on position for his second-career All-SEC campaign this season.
The Schenkel is LSU’s final tournament of the regular season as they will next participate in the 2003 Southeastern Conference Championships April 25-27 in Sea Island, Ga. The Schenkel will consist of the first two rounds on Saturday beginning at 8 a.m., and then the final 18 holes on Sunday.
2003 Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational
Forest Heights Country Club
March 22-23
Statesboro, Ga.
2003 Schenkel Field:
LSU
Auburn
Augusta State
Clemson
Duke
East Tennessee State
Florida
Georgia
Georgia Southern
North Carolina
North Carolina State
South Carolina
Tennessee
Wake Forest
Ohio State