USC Beaufort golf set to begin spring season

By JUSTIN JARRETT
jjarrett@islandpacket.com
843-706-8120

Published Friday, February 5, 2010

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After a three-month hiatus, the USC Beaufort golf teams are ready to resume their season -- and their quest to qualify for the NAIA National Championships in May.

That journey begins Sunday and Monday at the Webber International Start 2 Finish Sports and More Classic at Lake Wales (Fla.) Country Club, where both the third-ranked USCB men's team and the No. 13 Sand Shark women are set to begin their spring season.

USCB director of golf Shane LeBaron is optimistic about this weekend, despite the fact Lake Wales Country Club is "a course that has given us problems" over the past couple of seasons. But regardless of this weekend's finish, anything short of a return to nationals for the men and a first trip to nationals for the women will be a disappointment.

"We're all on the same page of what we want to do," LeBaron said. "They've got the goal to be the best team in the conference and the No. 1 team in the nation. And we don't think that's too far-fetched."

It certainly wouldn't seem so, particularly for the men, who return all five starters from last year's team that finished seventh in the nation. Four of those five -- Jon Pannone, George Thacker, Jack Bingham and Chris Lane II -- will make the trip this weekend; they will be joined by freshman Travis Cashion, whose hot play of late earned him the final spot, LeBaron said.

Pannone was the team's most consistent player in the fall, finishing in the top seven in all four tournaments. Thacker had three top-10 finishes, and Lane posted the team's best individual finish, a second-lace showing at the Flagler Fall Slam. The team finished in the top three in three of the four events, including second-place finishes at the Kiawah Island Intercollegiate and the Wilmington Island Intercollegiate; the lone bump in the road was a fifth-place showing at the Webber Intercollegiate, on the same course where the Sand Sharks will compete this weekend.

USCB's women also had a productive fall season, earning their first win at the Battle at the Bayonet in Fayetteville, N.C., to open the season, finishing sixth at the Lady Falcon Invitational, taking third at the Chick-fil-A Invitational and placing 12th in a field loaded with NCAA Division I teams at the Charleston Southern Wendy's Invitational.

Adriana Saavedra was the team's best player in the fall, winning the Chick-fil-A title by one shot and placing third at the Battle at the Bayonet, but LeBaron said she has been pushed for the top spot by Sophie Henke, Jenny Payne, Kelli Nakano and Brittany Cheek, who will round out the starting five this weekend.

"Those five are all right there in a tight group," LeBaron said. "It's like having five No. 1's, really, which is a great feeling as a coach."

Both teams have four tournaments on the schedule before the Sun Conference Championships in April, and if all goes as LeBaron has planned, the NAIA National Championships in May.

MEN

Date

Event

Location

Feb. 7-8

Webber International Start 2 Finish Classic

Lake Wales, Fla.

March 8-9

California Baptist Spring Break Invitational

Primm, Nev.

March 13-14

Embry-Riddle Eagle Invitational

Daytona Beach, Fla.

March 26-28

USMC

Camp LeJeune Invitational

Camp LeJeune, N.C.

April 18-20

Sun Conference Championships

Port St. Lucie, Fla.

May 18-21

NAIA Championships

Silvis, Ill.

WOMEN