DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's golf team returns to action after a week off this weekend to play in the DA Weibring Intercollegiate, hosted by Illinois State at Weibring Golf Club.
Tournament: DA Weibring Intercollegiate
Location: Normal, Ill.
Course: Weibring Golf Club
Format: 54 holes
Start Times: 10 a.m. CST shotgun starts
Par: 71
Yardage: 6,915 yards
Field (17)
NIU, Illinois State, Evansville, Bradley, Butler, Creighton, DePaul, Detroit, Drake, Duke, Fort Wayne, Northern Iowa, Oakland, SIU Edwardsville, Valparaiso, Western Illinois, Wisconsin
Lineup
1.
Joo-Young Lee; 2.
Salvador Rocha; 3.
Thomas DeMarco; 4.
Matt Cholod; 5.
Michael Mattas
Redshirt-Senior
Joo-Young Lee tied for 16
th at the Grand Canyon Invitational, finishing the tournament at two-over par. It was his third top-20 finish of the season and second top-20 in the last three tournaments. His three-round score of 215 was his lowest 54-hole total this season, besting his 216 in the Northern Intercollegiate Sept. 24-25. Lee leads NIU in scoring average at 73.4.
"Joo made 11 out of 15 birdies with a wedge in his hand last time out," said director of golf
Tom Porten. "That's tour quality. He played those 15 holes at seven-under par, and that's why he finished where he did. It's fun to see him evolving, even beyond where he was two years ago. His short game and putting are continuing to improve. If he can put his ball in play with more consistency, he'll continue to put up low numbers."
Thomas DeMarco recorded his second-lowest 54-hole score of the season at Grand Canyon with a 219, tying for 30
th at six-over par. He has been within three strokes of par in each of his last five rounds this spring. DeMarco is tied for second on the team in scoring average with
Salvador Rocha at 73.9.
"Thomas is an emotional player, and when he struggles off the tee it tends to follow him," Porten said about DeMarco. "He's definitely rounding himself back to the player we know he can be. Thomas just needs to keep figuring out how to balance his emotions and keep putting his ball where it needs to be, and the rest will take care of itself."
With high winds and rain expected Saturday and cold temperatures for the final round Sunday, Porten says the conditions could play to the Huskies' strengths.
"When you have such a variance in weather on a 36-hole day, whether it's temperature, in wind speeds, precipitation, par becomes a very good number," Porten said. "I think we have the capability of shooting low scores, but if the conditions aren't optimal and par is your ally I think that's where our strengths are. I like us playing in wind, rain, and cold. They do it every day."
--NIU--
