Flyer Men Prevail Over 10-Team SCC Spring Intercollegiate Field

Led by freshman Andreas Huber the Sandhills Community College men's golf team opened the spring season by winning the SCC Spring Intercollegiate that concluded on Monday at Long Leaf Golf Club.

The Flyers posted a 36-hole score of 309-310-619 to win by 32 strokes over second place College of Dupage (IL) in the field of 10 teams. Huber shot 74-74-148 to finish three strokes behind medalist Jack Vercautren of the runner-ups.

The team score for Coach Gus Ulrich's Flyers also included: Stephen Spencer, third, 75-79-154, Thomas Storebeck, fifth, 78-78-156 and Grant Gilbert, T-15, 82-79-161.

"It's always great to get a win and a good way to start the season," Ulrich said. "The guys are getting some cobwebs off their clubs right now and trying to get their swings figured out before we get into it big time."

The next tournament on the schedule is the Brown Golf Invitational at Foxfire Country Club on March 13-14.

Huber, who is from Bruneck, Italy, made a trip home over the holiday break in December. Sunday's round was not completed because of darkness and he got off to a rough start on a windy Monday.

"I had a hole left over from Sunday and made a double-bogey," he said. "I was 6-over after five holes and then I fought back a little bit."

He made three birdies from there on the way to matching his first round score.

"I think my game is pretty good off the tee," he said. "I have to work on my shots under 100 yards and around the green. Other than that things are pretty solid."

Spencer woke up Monday morning with an upset stomach. Teammate Jacob Fuller had become ill the day before so the team would need his score in order to post a team result.

"I knew I had to find some way to play 18 holes," the freshman from Uwharrie Charter School said. "I had a four-putt and a three-putt and I thought I was letting the team down, but coach let me know I had back up."

Ulrich appreciated the effort on a windy day that was not easy for the golfers to negotiate under any circumstances.

"It was tough for everybody and the scores reflected that," he said. "I'm real proud of Stephen for hanging in there and finishing his round. His goal was to break 80 and he did that. That was a good perseverance experience for him and I was very grateful for it."

An interesting tournament field included teams from Illinois (Dupage), Michigan (Grand Rapids CC) and Pennsylvania (Thiel College).

"I was really happy with the participation and it was nice to have the teams from the north come down here," the coach said. "Long Leaf did an incredible job of making us feel welcome and the staff helped keep the tournament operations going nicely.

"Golf Pride stepped up and provided some nice gifts for the players. I think it's a great venue and we want to keep it going here."

Four members of the current team were on last spring's squad that led the national tournament by 11 strokes going into the final round before faltering and finishing second by one stroke.

"Our main focus this year is to put ourselves in the same position with a different outcome," Ulrich said. "This team can easily be there and be in contention.

"If we are in the lead after three rounds again the result is going to be different. They're determined to make that happen."

Team scores – 1. Sandhills CC 309-310-619, 2. College of Dupage 319-332-651, 3. St. Andrews 328-325-653, 4. Grand Rapids CC 337-320-657, 5. USC Sumpter 332-331-663, 6. Davidson County CC 332-345-677, 7. Surry CC 352-337-689, 8. Wake Tech 347-343-690, 9. Thiel College 362- 347-709, 10. William Peace 369-355-724.

Individual leaders - 1. Jack Vercautren (Dupage) 70-75-145, 2. Huber (SCC) 74-74-148, 3. Spencer (SCC) 75-79-154, 4. Tyler Hausserman 79-76-155, 5. Storebeck (SCC) 78-78-156, 6. Yusuke Niwa (St. A) 78-80-158; Other Sandhills results – T-9 Carson Witherspoon 79-81-160, T-15 Andrew Crawford 84-77-161.

C. Bergmann