Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE GOLF HOPES POSITIVE FALL FORWARDS INTO THE SPRING
2.27.04 | Men's Golf
"We are real close to winning consistently," said Mannino. "I think the guys are starting to realize that every stroke matters in college golf."
The Owls' top five, that also includes senior James Chan and freshman Logan Terry, is also all business in the classroom, literally. The five student-athletes are all enrolled in the Fox School of Business and enter the spring with a 3.02 combined cumulative grade point average.
The three juniors' mint play led to the team finishing fourth or better in four of its six fall events. The Owls' top effort of the season was a second place showing at the hotly-contested "The McLaughlin" at Bethpage Country Club in Farmingdale, N.Y. in September. Temple shot a three-round, four-over par 844 on the par 70 course to finish behind ACC powerhouse Maryland. The Owls were also the top city finisher in the Big Five Classic and claimed the Philadelphia title.
The key to the Owls moving up a couple of spots and capturing victory in the spring might rest on the club face of Chan. The senior team captain struggled in the fall but has historically played his best golf in the spring. Last year, the Ancaster, Ontario native finished fourth at the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships to earn all-league honors. Chan, a finance major with a 3.73 cumulative grade point average, was selected as the A-10's 2003 Golf Student-Athlete of the Year. He has produced six top 10 finishes with four coming in the spring. Three of those top 10 showings were at the A-10's.
"Last year James was shooting consistent scores around par," said Mannino. "He has been the leader of this team for the past two seasons and I expect he will find his 'A' game again during his last semester. I know James will be there for this team at the A-10 Tournament in Rhode Island."
Complementing Chan is the trio of Mullen, O'Neill and Roberts. Mullen was the team's top performer in the fall, when he landed three top 10 finishes and a 75.4 stroke average. The Norristown, Pa. product finished second at "The McLaughlin," shooting a 67, 66 and 71 to total a seven-under par 204. The 66 stroke effort marked the best round for an Owl since Jon Rusk produced a 65 at the Princeton Invitational in the spring of 2002. Mullen is currently Temple's top-rated player in the District II rankings.
"I can not say enough about this self-made player," said Mannino. "In three years, Billy has turned himself into one of the better players in the region. His consistent ball striking is what makes him a threat to the field in every event."
Roberts and O'Neill also served notice to the district in the fall, as the two ended the season with 75.7 and 75.8 stroke averages, respectively. O'Neill earned three top 10 showings, including a sixth place effort at the Temple Invitational, while Roberts produced a 10th place finish at "The McLaughlin."
"Pat focused on what made him one of the best juniors to come out of Canada in 2001," said Mannino. "He is now playing well and enjoying himself on the course. Pat is the personality of the team and keeps everyone loose before and after each round."
"Matt transferred to Temple during the 2002 season and he has been a true asset to the success of the program," added Mannino. "I can rely on him to contribute every round. It has been really nice to see Matt bloom. He works just as hard in the classroom as he does on the golf course."
The lone rookie on the squad is Terry, a local product out of Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School. Despite being a newcomer in the fall, he showed no signs of freshman jitters, placing in the top 20 in five of six tournaments. Terry showed confidence right out of the gate, placing 10th in his first two collegiate events, the Navy Fall Invitational and "The McLaughlin." He was also named the A-10 Golf Rookie of the Week after a 13th place finish in the John MacDonald Classic. Terry concluded the season with a 76.0 stroke average.
"I can not say enough good things about Logan and the way he has adjusted to college golf," said Mannino. "He is a true gentleman on and off the course and has the most positive attitude on the team."
The Cherry & White start counting stokes in early March at "The Battle of the Birds," a head-to-head match with Saint Joseph's over spring break in West Palm Beach, Fla. Later in the month, the team is slated to compete in the William & Mary Invitational at Kingsmill River Golf Course in Williamsburg, Va. and the George Washington Invitational at Swan Point Country Club in Issue, Md. In April, the Owls participate in the Yale Spring Open at Yale Golf Course, site of the 2004 NCAA East Regional, before playing in the Princeton Invitational and Scotty Duncan Memorial. In May, the Owls take aim in the Atlantic 10 Championships, hosted by the University of Rhode Island, at Newport National Golf Club in Middletown, R.I.
For many of the upperclassmen on the team, it will mark the third or fourth time that they have played courses such as Kingsmill River and Springdale Golf Club in Princeton.
"I'm counting on Chan and the juniors to win golf tournaments in 2004," said Mannino. "They have all smelled victory, now I think they are ready to taste it."
