GOLF BEGINS SPRING SEASON THIS WEEKEND AT LONNIE BARTON MEMORIAL

PHILADELPHIA, PA - The Temple men's golf team, under the direction of head coach Brian Rogers, begins its spring season this weekend at the Lonnie Barton Memorial Golf Tournament at Haig Point Club in Hilton Head, S.C. Practice rounds will take place on both Thursday and Friday, before the 18 team, 36-hole tournament hits full swing on Saturday and Sunday, March 12-13.

Rogers liked what he saw from his Cherry & White squad during the fall season. Although his team struggled at times, it produced fourth place finishes at The McLaughlin and the John MacDonald Classic. More important to the first-year mentor is that a foundation for success exists and some properly implemented instruction should result in tournament victories.

 "We are seeing definite improvement in the mental part of our game," said Rogers. "We are becoming more patient and trusting in our abilities. This results in better course management and lower scores. Talent and the ability to hit shots is not the issue. Our challenge is to develop the composure to meet our potential."

When asked to address a specific area in which he would like to see improvement, Rogers pointed to the tee box.

"I expect to see smarter tee shots this spring. We need to stay in control and not try and hit every drive over 300 yards."

Temple returns five of six student-athletes that competed last spring. The one loss, however, is significant. The team needs to supplement the loss of two-time Atlantic 10 Golf Student-Athlete of the Year and three-time all-conference performer James Chan. Senior team captain Billy Mullen stepped into the leadership role in the fall and responded with his strongest campaign thus far. Mullen is one of most experienced collegiate golfers in the Mid-Atlantic Region with 6,482 career strokes in 38 events to his credit.  The Norristown, Pa. native posted a career-best 74.3 stroke average in the fall and was the squad's top finisher in four of six tournaments.

"Billy is our go-to guy. He is a veteran that knows all the golf courses and tournament sites. He was instrumental in coach Lewis and myself being able to make a smooth transition with the team."

Logan Terry, another local product hailing from Plymouth Meeting, Pa., is expected to play in second position. The sophomore has five top 10 finishes and placed among the top 20 eleven times in 20 career events.

"Logan is an extremely talented player with a great attitude and work ethic," said Rogers. "He hits the ball a mile and is very good listener. Logan has the tools to take his game as far as he wants to in the next two years."

Patrick O'Neill is expected to play in third position. The senior has played in 35 career events and has six top 10 finishes, including his first career tournament victory with a four-over 146 (70-76) to win the Scotty Duncan Memorial and earn A-10 co-performer of the week honors last spring.

"Pat struggled in the fall but, all-in-all, is a consistent performer. He's a smart player capable of hitting all the shots and is a large contributor to positive team chemistry."

Matt Roberts offers experience playing-out of the third, fourth or fifth position. A senior that transferred to Owl Country from Rutgers University, the Easton, Pa. native has competed in 25 tournaments in Cherry & White.

Senior Brad Roberts and two newcomers, sophomore transfer James Boose and true freshman A.J. Tomasello, saw action in the fall and will offer spirited competition to gain greens time. Roberts played in the A-10 Championship last spring and finished 11th competing as an individual in the John MacDonald Classic in the fall. Boose, who attended Oakland University, competed in four events in the fall, while Tomasello saw his first collegiate action at The McLaughlin.

"We are fortunate to have the depth and the ability to interchange the three, four and five spots for any event," explained Rogers.  "This depth pushes all of the players to work hard and strive for excellence.

"Now that we have half a season together under our belts, we intend to hit the ground running," he added. "Our goal this spring is to win an Atlantic 10 Championship and advance to NCAA competition."

Temple University Athletics

GOLF BEGINS SPRING SEASON THIS WEEKEND AT LONNIE BARTON MEMORIAL

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