Sept. 13, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University men's golf team will begin play in its 2009 fall season Monday as the Bulldogs compete in the 25th-annual Springhill Suites Intercollegiate hosted by Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C. The two-day event will be held at the Country Club of South Carolina.

The 54-hole event will consist of 36 holes Monday and 18 holes Tuesday. Play will begin Monday with a shotgun start at 7 a.m. (CDT). The Country Club of South Carolina's course is a par-72 layout measured at 7,062 yards.

The tournament field includes Samford, Appalachian State, College of Charleston, Charleston Southern, Davidson, Elon, Francis Marion, Furman, George Mason, Georgia College & State University, James Madison, Presbyterian College, Radford, USC Aiken, USC Upstate, Western Carolina, and defending tournament champion Georgia Southern.

In Samford's first action of the fall, the 2009-10 Bulldogs boast a roster full of seven returning letterwinners and four highly-touted true freshmen. Samford's senior class consists of Jeremy Cox and Alex Harper, while returning juniors Tyler Baird, Martin Bunt, Chris Duffy and Houston Hough will also add leadership to the squad.

The Bulldogs don't have any sophomores on this year's team, but talented incoming freshmen Drew Aimone, Gabe Hyde, Bill Nabors and Casey O'Toole will be looked upon to contribute immediately.

Head coach Woodie Eubanks is in the midst of his seventh season at the helm of the Samford men's golf program. Assistant coach Ryan Mayberry is in his second season on the coaching staff.

Following this week's 25th-annual Springhill Suites Intercollegiate, the Samford men's golf team will next be in action Sept. 25-27 at the 2009 Elon Intercollegiate which will be held at the Sea Trail Golf Resort in Sunset Beach, N.C.