Ferris State Takes Sixth At UC-San Diego Southern California Intercollegiate

The nationally 18th-ranked Ferris State University men's golf team opened the spring part of its 2009-10 schedule with a sixth-place showing at the 60th annual UC-San Diego Southern California Intercollegiate (March 22-23) in Mission Viejo, Calif.

The Bulldogs produced a three-round 952 team score (+100) on the par 71, 7,143-yard Mission Viejo Country Club course to claim sixth among the 11 participating teams.  FSU carded a 312 opening-round score followed by a 317-stroke total in the second round for Monday's (March 22) play.  The Bulldogs tallied a 323 score in Tuesday's (March 23) final-round action.

Sonoma (Calif.) State, the defending NCAA Division II national champions, won the tournament with a first-place 919-stroke total (+67) while St. Edwards captured runner-up honors by firing a 929 (+77).

Eric Lilleboe (Okemos/Lansing Catholic Central) was Ferris State's top individual finisher as the senior carded a 233 (75-78-80=233, +20) to gain a four-way tie for 10th place.   Junior Garrett Simons (Grand Ledge) shot a 240 score (78-82-80=240, +27) to place 23rd while senior Kurt Valley (Bay City/Western) gained a share of 26th place by tallying a 242-stroke total (81-77-84=242, +29).  

Junior Joe Brown (St. Ignace/LaSalle) was among three individuals to tie for 32nd place as a result of producing a 245 score (82-80-83=245, +32).  Senior Craig Burrows (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Olmstead Falls) turned in a 36th-place tying 247 (78-89-80=247, +34) to close out the Bulldogs' scoring.

Ferris State is presently ranked 18th in the second Golf World/Nike Golf Division II Coaches' Poll of this spring season (March 17) as the Bulldogs received 115 points.

FSU will return to play on April 2-3 at the NCAA-II Midwest Region Tournament II in Georgetown, Ky.