University of Houston Athletics
Golf Set to Compete at Rice Intercollegiate on Monday
2/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Feb. 14, 2010
HOUSTON - The University of Houston golf team continues its 2010 spring season when it competes at the 10th Annual Rice Intercollegiate presented by Srixon.
The Cougars are part of a competitive field, which includes Auburn, Florida Gulf Coast, Hartford, Houston Baptist, Kansas, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Miami (Fla.), Missouri State, Nebraska, New Orleans, Northern Colorado, Pacific and host Rice, on the par-72, 7,148-yard course at Westwood Golf Club.
The 54-hole tournament tees off at 8:15 a.m., Monday with the first 36 holes. The final 18 holes begin at 8:15 a.m., Tuesday.
The big main thing we are looking for is consistency. We had a nice start to the year last week, but we want to continue to be consistent," first-year Houston head coach Jonathan Dismuke said. "The weather has been tough, but the guys have been working through it. We are prepared for anything Mother Nature can throw at us."
This will be the second straight season that the Cougars have competed at this event. A year ago, the team finished fourth of 15 teams with Ben Moser's third-place finish leading the Cougars.
It also will be the last time the Cougars compete in the Houston area during the 2010 spring season.
"Being so close and being out there all day Monday, this provides a nice opportunity for all our fans to come," Dismuke said. "With this being Rice's tournament, we would love to see some red out there."
Houston enters the Rice Intercollegiate after an impressive showing at its own Redstone Challenge on Feb. 6 at Redstone Golf Club. Junior Clark Mitzner carded a career-low 68 to capture medalist honors and help lead the Cougars to a second-place finish.
For his impressive performance, the McKinney, Texas, native recently was honored as the Conference USA Golfer of the Week, the first of his career and the second by a Cougar during the 2009-10 season.
Junior Matt Eschenburg finished fifth after firing a 74 at the Redstone Challenge. With that, he moved into the team lead with a 74.75 scoring average, only 33 points ahead of senior Jackie Lindsey.
Mitzner, Eschenburg and Lindsey are scheduled to be part of the Cougars' starting lineup, joining redshirt freshman Joseph Reynolds and freshman Jordan Rumora
Although weather conditions for the tournament are expected to be sunny and clear with temperatures in the mid-50s, the Cougars - along with the rest of Houston-area citizens - have endured cold, wet and windy conditions during qualifying rounds in the last few weeks. Playing in those tough conditions can only help the Cougars as the 2010 spring season progresses.
"Learning to play in inclement weather is an acquired skill. The only way to learn it is to play in it," Dismuke said. "You have to keep your clubs dry and keep yourself dry."
Players Mentioned
