Men golfers are ready for Horizon

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown State men’s golf team can be summed up in one word, young. This season the five main golfers on the team consist of a junior, two sophomores and two freshmen.

The Penguins’ youth has seen its share of struggles this season, but the squad may be peaking at the right time as they enter the Horizon League Championships on Monday and Tuesday in Lexington, Ky. Last weekend at the Detroit Titans Invitational, the team had their lowest round of the spring season when they shot a 297 in the third and final round of the tournament.

The Penguins have used seven different golfers this season, but the five most likely to be in the lineup at the league tournament are junior Tim Morrow, sophomores Spenser Sulzener and Michael Turner, and freshman Michael Lower and Joe Santisi.

This season, Morrow has competed in all 28 rounds between the fall and spring seasons and averages a team-low 75.8 strokes per 18 holes. Morrow has been the top-finisher for the team in six events, including a fourth-place finish at the John Dallio Memorial in the fall.

Sulzener has been the team’s top finisher in two out of the last three tournaments and averages 78.1 per round. He has shot a low round of 73 three times this season, including the Butler Spring Invitational where he finished tied for eighth.

Turner has competed in all but two events for the Penguins, with an 18-hole average of 79.1. Turner’s low round was a 72 at Cleveland State, where he also shot his season low three-round total of 229.

Lower saw limited action during the fall season as he only competed in one event, but has competed in every event during the spring schedule. Lower’s season low two-round total came at Butler where he shot a 146 to finish as the runner-up.

Santisi holds the second-lowest average on the team with a 76.7 and claimed the lowest round total when he shot a 68 at the IPFW Fall Classic. Like Morrow, Sanitisi has competed in every round this season and his best finish came in the fall opener at the John Piper Intercollegiate where he finished ninth.

The Penguins have been without the services of lone senior Ryan Stocke this season, as he was redshirted. Arguably the best player on the team from a year ago, Stocke competed in all 13 tournaments, averaging a team-best 72.9 strokes per round. He was also named team MVP along with being named to the All-Horizon League Team.

With the help of Stocke and graduate Ross Beal, the team finished in third place behind champion Cleveland State by only four strokes last season at the Horizon League Championship. The Penguins displayed a solid performance as the Penguins cut the lead down to one stroke in the third and final round, but could not overcome the Vikings.

The 2009 Championship will be held in Lexington Ky., and is set to get underway on April 27 at Kearney Hills Golf