Golfers finish 10th

By CRAIG YETSKO
Collegian Sports Writer

The Penn State men's golf team overcame early-round troubles at the Fripp Island/Ben Hogan Intercollegiate tournament to finish with 921 and a 10th-place tie with Indianapolis.

After shooting 309 in each of the first two rounds, the Lions improved in the third round with a team score of 303. Sophomore Byron Clift led the team with a 71 in the last round. His final score for the tournament was 235.

Junior Adam Decker kept up his solid play by firing his third-straight 75, finishing with a team low of 225.

Junior Dirk Ayers said the tournament was a learning experience for the Lions and the course contributed to some of the team's problems.

"It was a tight golf course with a lot of water hazards," he added.

Ayers said the wind played a role in the high scoring during the first round, adding that one bad shot on the tee could put the ball out of bounds or in a very bad spot on the course.

Clift said he turned around his second-round score of 86 by concentrating on his game.

"I started focusing better and cutting out my bad shots," he said.

Junior Jeff Diehl overcame a first-round score of 91 and shot a 77 in the final round. He attributed his improved play in the third round to keeping the ball in play. He shot a 77 in the third round and had an overall score of 248.

"I was unhappy with my performance," Diehl added.

Sophomore J.D. Ostrow fired an 80 on Sunday and finished with a total of 239. Ayers also shot an 80 in the final round and was Penn State's second leading scorer with a score of 231.