The men's golf team rebounded from a slow start to finish eighth in an excellent 16-team field at the Carpet Capital Classic in Dalton, Ga., this weekend. The No. 27 Duke golfers hadn't seen any tournament action for almost a month, but their strong performance in Sunday's final round led them to a 302-297--599 finish in a tough tournament whose field included 12 clubs ranked in the nation's top 25.
"We did fair," Duke head coach Rod Myers said. "But our last competition was four weeks ago, so it's like starting all over.
"We were just average and not nearly as good as we're capable of being."
While the top Duke golfers were swinging their clubs in Georgia, the Blue Devils' B'-team headed to Campbell University for the Lonnie D. Small Memorial Golf Tournament. Freshman Justin Klein led the way for Duke, shooting 71-69--140 to capture the individual title and earn a spot on theA'-team for next weekend's Ping/American Invitational.
Although Myers said most of the Blue Devils were not at the top of their game, that did not stop senior Tom Hurley from leading the team for the third consecutive tournament. Hurley shot 71-75--146 to finish in a five-way tie for 13th among individual competitors.
"Tom played very solidly all the way through," Myers said. "He has been our most consistent golfer, and he's swinging well right now."
After finishing the fall season as the team's fifth-best golfer, Hurley's resurrection this year has stemmed from some new aspirations. When his collegiate career comes to an end this summer, Hurley has decided to try his hand at professional golf.
"He's motivated to see how good he can be," Myers said.
Right behind Hurley was Duke's biggest surprise of the tournament, Al Birney. Myers inserted Birney into the last spot of the Blue Devil lineup, and the senior responded with the team's second-best performance of the tournament, a 75-73--148 outing which earned him a tie for 22nd.
"Al was a pleasant surprise, and if he continues to play that way, it will be an excellent addition to the team," Myers said.
Junior Mike Muehr shot a 77-75--152 for 38th place and was followed by senior Jason Widener (79-74--153) and junior Aaron Crewse (85-76--161). Although Muehr and Widener, the Blue Devils' top golfers in the fall season, were not playing their best golf, Duke will have a chance to "get into the flow" as the team plays in tournaments each of the next three weekends, Myers said.
The Blue Devils currently have their sights set on the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in mid-April where the team hopes to contend for the conference crown.
"We'll be an awfully good team when everyone comes together," Myers said.
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