The nationally-ranked Saint John's golf team begins the spring portion of its schedule with a match-play dual against St. Thomas on Thursday, March 28, at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Miramar Beach, Fla.
Preview Video:
-Head coach Bob Alpers (2:22)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's returns to action, and to the state of Florida, after battling back to win the prestigious 18-team Golfweek Division III Invitational by one shot Oct. 16 at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. SJU was 10-over-par through the day's first six holes but bounced back to shoot one-over par the rest of the way. The Johnnies claimed the title with a three-round total of 876 (+24), followed by No. 18 LaGrange (Ga.) in second (+25, 877) and top-ranked Oglethorpe (Ga.) took third (+27, 879). No. 2 Methodist (N.C.) entered the final round with a two-shot lead over SJU but shot a 20-over par 304 to finish fourth (+31, 883).
Junior Casey Vangsness (Alexandria, Minn.) tied for third out of the 90 golfers with a one-over par total of 214. He ended the fall season with a team-leading 74.6 stroke average in 16 rounds and four top-five finishes in six tournaments. Sophomore Drew Lynch (Stillwater, Minn.) tallied a team-leading 11 birdies in the three rounds to tie for sixth with a 216 (+3) and senior Dennis Granath (Bandhagen, Sweden/Farsta Gymnasium) tied for 18th with a 219 (+6), thanks to a one-under par 70 in the final round. Junior Tommy Koehler (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and sophomore Derek Brinker (St. Michael, Minn./Heritage Academy, Fla.) followed with a 229 (+16) and 231 (+18), respectively.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: SJU was ranked third in the latest Golf World/Nike Golf Division III Coaches' poll released March 4. Gustavus Adolphus was ranked seventh, followed closely by St. Thomas at No. 8.
SANDESTIN: Unlike the Golfweek Invite, which was played on the Raven Golf Club (6,931 yards; par 71), Thursday's dual will be played on one of the resort's other courses, the Links Golf Club (6,710 yards; par 72). The Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort hosts the 2013 NCAA Division III Championship May 13-17. Each participating school will play one day of competition on each course in the national tournament, while the final two days will be held at the Raven G.C.