Sept. 17, 2010
AUBURN, Wash. - The ninth-ranked Texas A&M men's golf team returns to the links on Monday when the Aggies compete in the Kikkor Golf Husky Invitational outside Seattle.
A&M is part of a 14-team field will play two rounds on Monday and the final round on Tuesday at the par-72, 7,304-yard Washington National Golf Club.
"We're playing great right now and the boys are really excited to tee it up again," head coach J.T. Higgins said. "We're hoping to build on the success and momentum the team created in Japan. Anytime you play against an outstanding team like Washington on their home course, you know it will be a challenge. But at the same time it also provides a great barometer for where you're at as a team."
Joining the host and sixth-ranked Huskies on their home course are No. 5 Oregon, No. 9 A&M, BYU, Fresno State, Gonzaga, Idaho, Missouri, Oregon State, Pacific, Pepperdine, San Diego State, UC-Davis and Washington State. UW advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships last June before being knocked out by eventual quarterfinalist and Pac-10 rival Oregon.
A&M is coming off a strong showing at the Topy Cup in Japan, where the Aggies topped the U.S. collegiate field after shooting a school-record 29-under par as a team.
Junior Jordan Russell (College Station), who tied the program standard with a 13-under 203 in Japan, leads A&M into the Husky Invitational and will joined by senior Nacho Elvira (Santander, Spain), juniors Geoff Shaw (Edmond, Okla.) and Case Cochran (Paducah, Ky.) and sophomore Cameron Peck (Olympia, Wash.). Senior Bryant Lach (The Woodlands) will compete as an individual. Lach, Shaw and Cochran--who will be making his first career start--all will be seeing their first action this season.
"We've never played Washington National but I have heard great things about the course," Higgins said. "I'm sure it will provide a terrific test for us. If we can compete with UW on their home track, I think it'll be a good sign for our team this year."
KIKKOR GOLF HUSKY INVITATIONAL BREAKDOWN
September 20 & 21 - Washington National Golf Club (par 72/7,304 yards), Auburn, Washington