SPOKANE, Wash. - Head coach Robert Gray released Friday what he believes is the toughest schedule in Gonzaga University men's golf history facing his squad for the 2011-12 season.
"We face our strongest schedule in school history this year where we'll be competing against a number of perennial powerhouses including Washington, Oregon, Oregon State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Pepperdine and two-time defending NCAA champion Augusta State," Gray said.
Two of the tougher tournaments on the schedule come in the fall season when the Bulldogs compete in the Kikkor Husky Invitational Sept. 26-27 and the Brickyard Collegiate Championship Oct. 7-9.
Highlighting the spring season will be the Bandon Dunes Championship March 16-18 hosted by the Bulldogs at the Bandon Trails Course in Bandon, Ore.
Gray is looking forward to hosting a third straight year at Bandon Dunes.
"Once again we're looking forward to hosting the Bandon Dunes Championship," Gray said. "This year's event will take place on the Bandon Trails Course, one of the host courses for this year's USGA Public Link Championship earlier this summer."
Gonzaga opens the fall season Sept. 12-13 at the Mark Simpson Invitational at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie, Colo., hosted by the University of Colorado.
The Kikkor Husky Invitational, hosted by the University of Washington at Gold Mountain Golf Club-Olympic Course in Bremerton, Wash., will give the Bulldogs a stern early-season test. Last season the field included NCAA participants Texas A&M University (9th in the NCAA Championship following stroke play), San Diego State University (tied for 16th in the NCAA following stroke play) and fellow West Coast Conference foe Pepperdine University (25th in the NCAA following stroke play).
One week later the Bulldogs will once again participate in one of the premier tournaments in the country in the Brickyard College Championship at the Brickyard at Riverside Golf Course in Macon, Ga., hosted by Mercer University. Last year's field included two-time NCAA champion Augusta State and runner-up University of Georgia, NCAA quarterfinalist UCLA and Colorado State University, 30th in the NCAA following stroke play.
The spring season starts with the Bulldogs hosting the three-day, 54-hole Bandon Dunes Championship. The University of Florida played in last year's tournament and went on to finish 23rd in the NCAA Tournament.
The final tune-up for the West Coast Conference Championship is April 9-10 at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic at Talking Stick Golf Course in Scottsdale, Ariz. Last year's field included a pair of NCAA top 30 finishers in WCC foe University of San Diego which tied for 16th and the University of Arizona which finished 29th.
The WCC Championship will become a three-day, 54-hole event this season compared to the two-day, 54-hole tournament of past years. This year's tourney will return to San Juan Oaks Golf Course in Hollister, Calif.
Gray is looking forward to a strong season as he brings in one of the best recruiting classes in school history to go with a solid group of returnees.
"We welcome our strongest recruiting class in school history in Brendan Connolly, James Fahy and Erik Krzyzanowski," Gray said. "They'll be joining our returning players Oliver Grabb, Peter Gullickson and Travis Johnsen."
Grabb is the lone senior, Johnsen is a junior and Gullickson a sophomore. Johnsen was an All-WCC selection last year after finishing fourth in the WCC Championship, the highest finish in school history. Gullickson had the lowest scoring average.
"It's another step toward improving the program," Gray said of the tough schedule. "I'm really excited to see how our young squad does."
