Cougars Off to Slow Start in Matlock Invitational

Lakeland, FL- The temperature was an unusually cool 36 degrees at tee time in Lakeland, FL at the Matlock Invitational. The Cougar Golf team was unusually cold as well as it shot a combined +19 in the first round. The 307 total put the Cougars in 12th place in the 15 team field. Stephen Paine was the low man for the Cougars carding a 73 on the first 18 holes. Stephen Swanepoel shot a 77, followed by Justin Grice with a 78, Ben Kishigian with a 79 and Michael Hicks 80.

Round one was scheduled to begin with a shotgun start at 8:00 a.m., but with early-morning cold temperatures at Lone Palm Golf Club put things on hold. By the time the course was ready for play, the start had been delayed by more than two hours. That pushed back the start of round two, which the teams were unable to complete before darkness closed the course. They'll pick up where they left off on Tuesday morning with four holes remaining for most of them, but more cold weather is in the forecast. The final round was already scheduled for Tuesday at 8:00, and will now get underway immediately after the second.

The cold weather apparently had no bearing on the play of Barry University's Victor Billskoog. Tying a tournament record with a seven-under par 65, Billskoog helped the top-ranked Buccaneers take a 10-stroke lead over West Florida at the end of round one.

 Matlock Collegiate Classic   
                         Lone Palm Golf Club      Lakeland, FL  
                         Dates: 02/14 - 02/16     (Today:02-15-2010)
                                   Par:        72               
                                   Yardage:  7065               

      Fin.   School                   Scores 
         1   Barry University         279            -9
         2   West Florida, U. of      289            +1
         3   Georgia College          291            +3
         4   Florida Inst of Tech     293            +5
         5   Delta State U.           294            +6
             Lynn University          294            +6
         7   Florida Southern Col     295            +7
             Rollins College          295            +7
         9   Clayton State Univ.      299           +11
        10   Nova Southeastern U.     300           +12
        11   St. Leo University       301           +13
        12   Columbus State           307           +19
        13   Newberry College         308           +20
        14   Valdosta St. U.          311           +23
        15   Eckerd College           313           +25