The Journal

Issue date: 4/6/06 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Martin Ribaudo Greg Murphy attempts to chip onto the green after landing in the pond short of the ninth hole at the Blackburn Invitational.

The Webster University Golf Team placed fourth of 12 schools at the Blackburn Invitational in Staunton, Ill.

Millikin University, McKendree College, and Maryville University took the top honors at the invitational, held March 31 to April 1.

Three Webster golfers finished in the top 20 at the Timber Lakes Golf Course.

Sophomore Scott Hargis had Webster's best score, a 160 on a 144 course.

Sophomore Drew Huesling and senior Greg Murphy tied for 15th place of the 80 golfers participating from area schools.

Their finish represented a marked improvement from the previous weeks of practice since the March 14 Piedmont Invitational.

"We could have played a little better, maybe," said Webster coach Andrew Belsky. "But all in all, it was a very successful tournament."

Webster may have placed higher had it not been for the unfortunate second-day absence of team co-captain junior Matt Lorenz.

"He played well on the first day, then called Friday night with the stomach flu," Belsky said. "I told him to stay home."

Of those Gorloks that did finish the tournament, the improvement was notable. Every player for Webster shot lower on the second day than the first.

"On the first day, we didn't putt as well," said Murphy, team co-captain. "Those four-to-five footers are the bread and butter of any tournament, and we weren't taking as much time with them on Friday. That's all part of getting used to playing in a
competitive environment."

Murphy had one costly slip-up the second day of the tournament when he played the wrong ball from a water hazard.

"It looked like my ball, but there were five or six around it," Murphy said.

After some conversation amongst the coaches, his play of the ball was nullified and Murphy had to take a drop.

"It's just one of those weird golf things, I guess," said
Murphy of the rule, which Belsky described as obscure.

The two-stroke gain, however, cost him a 13th-place finish.

Murphy noted that of the three colleges that placed above Webster, McKendree College of Lebanon, Ill., is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, which means it is able to offer scholarships to prospective players.

Continued...

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