Air Force Academy

Oct. 3, 2008

The Air Force golf team is back in action Oct. 6-7 at the annual Wolf Pack Classic, hosted by Nevada at the par-72, 7,100-yard Wolf Run Golf Club. The 54-hole tournament is slated to begin with two rounds on Monday and the final round on Tuesday. Both days will begin with an 8:00 a.m. (PT) shotgun start.

Last Time Out...
Last week, Air Force finished 14th at the William H. Tucker Invitational, hosted by New Mexico. The Falcons fired a three-round total of 922 (+58).

Leading the way for Air Force was junior Tom Whitney, who tied for 37th individually at 226 (+10).

The Field...
Thirteen teams are slated to compete in this year's tournament, including Tennessee, which is ranked 11th in the latest Golf World/NIKE Golf coaches poll. The full list follows, with Golfweek/Sagarin rankings in parentheses: Air Force (114), Arizona (95), Fresno State (88), Iowa State (133), Kansas State (3), Louisiana-Monroe (166), Nevada (57), New Mexico State (115), Sacramento State (165), Saint Mary's, Tennessee (6), UTEP (158) and Wichita State (72).

In the Conference Rankings...
Junior Tom Whitney is currently ranked in the top 10 of the Mountain West Conference for lowest stroke average this season. Whitney is tied for ninth in the league with a stroke average of 71.67.

Back on Top...
Air Force's performance at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate was impressive for many reasons. Not only did the Falcons fire a three-round total of 859 (-5), ranking as the third-lowest team score in school history, but their second-place finish was their best in nearly two years.

The last time the Falcons finished in the top two as a team was at the 2006 Service Academy Golf Classic, when they captured the title. Air Force's performance at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate also marks just the third time since 1995 that the Falcons have finished in the top two as a team, outside of the SAGC (which Air Force has won for 12 consecutive years).

Air Force in the Record Books...
In its first two tournaments of the season, Air Force has made entries into the school's record books with its performance. The Falcons' team score of 859 at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate ranks as the third-lowest tournament score (54 holes) in school history. Meanwhile, Air Force's total of 872 at the Falcon Invitational ranks 11th in the record book.

Junior Tom Whitney and sophomore Kyle Bailey each added their names to the individual record books after the Ron Moore Intercollegiate, ranking tied for third for lowest tournament score at 207. Whitney also posted a score of 212 at the Falcon Invitational, ranking 22nd in the individual record books.

Whitney now owns five of the 20 lowest individual scores in Air Force history, tying with 2007 graduate Tyler Goulding, who also has five. Whitney has also fired a 214 or lower in a 54-hole tournament nine times (Goulding did so 13 times).

Up Next...
The Falcons have next week off before returning to action Oct. 20-21 at the Sycuan Collegiate Invitational, hosted by MWC rival San Diego State.

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