FIT Men’s Golf Squad Faces Tough Schedule
By Florida Tech // December 16, 2012
Spring Season Opens Feb. 4
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech men’s golf team will hit the links five times leading up to the Sunshine State Conference Championship on April 15.
All five tournaments are events the Panthers played in last season, including a pair in which the squad earned victories.
The Crimson and Gray will kick off the season in Melbourne with the Titan Invitational at Suntree Country Club. The tournament will begin on Feb. 4. Last season, the team got off to a hot start at the Titan, finishing in second to open up the spring campaign.
“It’s kind of our standard spring schedule this year,” head coach Chris Saltmarsh said. “We’ve done the same thing the last two years. We look to build on how well we’ve done at the Titan. We’d like to hopefully come up with a win this year. That’s a great starting tournament for us.”
The following week, FIT will travel to Lakeland for another tournament in which the team played well last season. The Panthers will look to defend their title at the Matlock Collegiate Classic at Lone Palm Golf Club. They took home their first victory of the season last year, holding off 14 other opponents.
“We are a whole new squad going to defend our title at the Matlock this season,” Saltmarsh said. “It is a young squad that I think will fare very well, but we’ve have some work to do.”
The Panthers will move on to a tough test in Valdosta, Ga. on March 12. The Southeastern Intercollegiate, where FIT finished 10th last year, will take place at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club.
On March 18, the Crimson and Gray remain at home for the Panther Invitational at The Majors Golf Club. The squad earned its second victory last season at its own tournament.
In its final event prior to the SSC Championship, Florida Tech will head to Miami Beach on April 1 for the Buccaneer Invitational. The Panthers finished in a tie for sixth last season at Normandy Shores Golf Club.
The last scheduled event of the season comes on April 15 at Lake Jovita Country Club in Dade City.
The Sunshine State Conference Championship will prove to be one of the biggest challenges of the season. Five SSC opponents appear in the most recent Golf World/Nike Golf Division II Coaches Poll. Two SSC clubs occupy the top spots with Nova Southeastern at No. 1 and Barry in the second slot. Florida Southern and Lynn each appear in the top-10, as well.
Should the Panthers rank in the top-nine in the regional rankings following the final event of the year, they will qualify for the NCAA Division II South Regional Championship starting on May 6.
The 54-hole tournament at Mission Inn Resort and Club in Howie in the Hills will feature the top-nine teams in the region, with the top three teams and top-three individuals advancing to the NCAA Division II National Championship.
The National Championship will take place May 20 to 24 in Hershey, Pa. at the Hershey Country Club.
