SPOKANE, Wash. -
ON TAP: It seems like the season just began for the Gonzaga University men's golf squad but it is already time for the 2013 West Coast Conference Championship. The Bulldogs, who are coming off their first tournament title since 2005, are looking to improve on their school-best fourth place finish at last year's WCC Championship.
2013 WCC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS: The 2013 West Coast Conference Golf Championship will take place at the Gold Mountain-Olympic Golf Course in Bremerton, Wash. The event is set for Monday, April 15 to Wednesday, April 17. Golfers will play 18 holes each day. The Gold Mountain-Olympic Golf Course is a 7,124-yard, par-72 course.
LIVE SCORING: Live scoring for the West Coast Conference Championship will be provided at www.golfstat.com.
THE PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: Eight of the nine West Coast Conference institutions sponsor men's golf. In addition to Gonzaga University, the others are BYU, Loyola Marymount University, Saint Mary's College, University of San Diego, University of San Francisco and Santa Clara University.
A LOOK BACK AT THE 2012 WCC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP: The Gonzaga University men's golf team finished fourth at the 2012 West Coast Conference Championship; its best finish in school history. The Zags ended the 3-day 54-hole tournament at San Juan Oaks Golf Club in Hollister, Calif., with a 3-over par 867, also their lowest WCC Championship score in school history. Gonzaga finished one stroke behind third place BYU.
The Bulldogs best finished prior to taking fourth last season was tied for fifth in 2009 with its-then best WCC 54-hole score of 873.
Current junior Peter Gullickson posted a Zag record breaking 54-hole score in 2012. He tied for sixth - the fourth-best individual finish by a Gonzaga golfer at the WCC Championship - with a WCC school low score of 212 (69-73-70).
Current senior Travis Johnsen tied for 19th (73-72-75-220) and then-freshman James Fahy finished tied for 25th (73-71-79-223).
BULLDOGS ENTER WCC CHAMPIONSHIP WITH MOMENTUM: The Gonzaga University men's golf team enters the West Coast Conference Championship with some momentum after having won the Wyoming Cowboy Classic last week. The tournament win was the Zags first since 2005. Gonzaga defeated Saint Mary's College, who tied for third, and Santa Clara University, who placed 21st.
ZAGS HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH GOLD MOUNTAIN-OLYMPIC GOLF COURSE: Gonzaga University men's golf is no stranger to Gold Mountain-Olympic Golf Course - the course of this year's West Coast Conference Championship. The Bulldogs played the course this fall and in the fall of 2011, both times at the Kikkor Husky Invitational. They placed 13th with a 54-hole score of 922 this past fall and placed fifth at the rain-shortened 2011 tournament.
GONZAGA LINEUP:
1. Sean Walsh (Fr., Keller, Tex.)
2. Peter Gullickson (Jr., Spokane, Wash.)
3. James Fahy (So., Vancouver, British Columbia)
4. Travis Johnsen (Sr., Wilsonville, Ore.)
5. Erik Krzyzanowski (So., Scottsbluff, Neb.)
GONZAGA MEN'S GOLF HEAD COACH ROBERT GRAY'S THOUGHTS …
…ON HIS LINEUP FOR THE WCC CHAMPIONSHIP: "Our lineup is different this week, but after the success we had last week, we'll be keeping the same group of players. Our objective is to get ourselves in position to play for the title going into the final round. Our win last week was a huge step forward for the guys. It was a great example of what they're capable of accomplishing."
…ON THE WCC HOSTING THE CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE GOLD MOUNTAIN-OLYMPIC GOLF COURSE: "The Olympic course at Gold Mountain is a fantastic location for the WCC Championship. The staff and volunteer base there is in a league of their own. This will be a memorable experience for all the players and coaches."
…ON WHAT HIS TEAM NEEDS TO DO TO SUCCEED: "The course requires a lot of different shots and will test your short game like few others. We've played the course enough times over the past couple of years to know where to put the ball. And, more importantly, where not to put the ball. Chipping around those greens is pretty tough, but the greens will probably be a bit softer than what we've seen in the past due to the usual wet spring weather. That should make chipping a bit easier and may free up shots to pins we wouldn't normally be aggressive towards. The rough could be also difficult, putting a premium on hitting fairways. The key is, not trying to do too much and take what the course gives you each day. We did a great job of that last week at Talking Stick Golf Course and it paid big dividends for the team."
