Linksters out for three-peat victory at Loyola

By CRAIG YETSKO
Collegian Sports Writer

The Penn State men's golf team is hoping to become the Chicago Bulls of the Loyola Invitational. A win at today's District II tournament will give the Lions the title for the third straight year.

The Invitational will be held today and tomorrow at the Hunt Valley Country Club in Baltimore, Md.

The Lions' chances of winning the tournament will be bolstered because two of the top teams in the district, Temple and Army, will not be at the event.

The three-peat is not uncommon to the Lions. In October, the team won the James Madison Fall Classic for the third year in a row.

Coach Greg Nye said the Invitational is of moderate importance to his team. Because the golf course will be in better condition than it was the last two years, Nye said his team's scores will improve.

He added the course at Loyola is very different than the course where the Lions played their last tournament at Fripp Island, S.C.

"It is an uphill-downhill golf course that has some hazards, ponds, trees and bunkers," Nye said.

Nye added the Lions hit the ball out of bounds a lot at Fripp Island, but he does not foresee that problem in Baltimore.

Unlike the past two years, the teams competing at Loyola do not have to worry about cold temperatures and snow. Even if there is rain or wind during the tournament, Nye said the weather will not hurt his team's performance.

Junior Dirk Ayers said the Lions are the favorite coming into the tournament and that he is confident the team will prevail. He said the team has been working on the weaker spots of its game in preparation for the Invitational.

"If we play to our potential, we have a good opportunity to win," he said, adding the Lions will be a little sharper at Loyola.

Also competing in the Invitational are Loyola, LaSalle, Bucknell, Iona, James Madison, William and Mary, Rutgers, Villanova, Western Maryland, Navy, American, St. Bonaventure, Lehigh, Seton Hall, St. Joesph's and George Mason.