Thursday, April 12, 2001

Johnson City, Tenn.-- The 12th ranked East Tennessee State men’s golf team travels to Finley Golf Course in Chapel Hill, N.C. on April 14-15 to compete in The Intercollegiate, a Rolex Collegiate Tour event.

Seven of the 12 competing teams in The Intercollegiate are ranked in the top 25 in the nation. All but one of the teams are ranked in the top 50. The tournament field also boasts 11 players that are ranked in the top 50 nationally, including three of the top 10.

Leading the Buccaneers this weekend is senior Chris Wisler, ranked 7th this week in the MasterCard Collegiate golf rankings. Also having strong seasons so far for the Bucs are senior Pat Beste with a 73.3 stroke average to date and sophomore James Johnson who has an average of 74.5. Fellow sophomore Thomas Lee has finished in the top 20 in two consecutive tournaments and is tied for third on the team in stroke average with Johnson.

ETSU is coming off a strong seventh place finish in the prestigious Schenkel E-Z-GO Invitational in Statesboro, Ga. on April 4. Wisler had a stellar tournament, finishing third at 4-under par, just two strokes off the lead. Wisler was the only golfer in the field to shoot all three rounds under-par (71-70-71). Lee also turned in a solid performance, finishing in 20th at 2-over par.

The Buccaneers competed in The Intercollegiate last season, finishing in fourth with a three-round 872 (291-293-288), eight shot off the lead. Wisler captured his second career individual medal at the event, scorching the MacGregor Downs Country Club course, carding a three-round 206 (69-68-69).

All teams will participate in a practice round the morning of Friday, April 13th, followed by a college/amateur event that afternoon. Tournament competition begins Saturday morning at 7:50 a.m. with 36 holes to be played that day. The final round will be played on Sunday beginning at 7:50 a.m. The awards ceremony will follow the final round at approximately 2:00 on Sunday.