The Lexus Naples Intercollegiate Invitational

by Andy Hall

Southwest Florida’s first ever major intercollegiate golfing extravaganza took place over a two day period, March 14 – 15, at Hammock Bay Golf & Country Club in south Naples. Hosted by local PGA and Champion’s Tour player, Peter Jacobsen, on a course created by him and design group partner, Jim Hardy, the 60 players and coaches from 12 college teams were appreciative and bedazzled by their pro treatment. “ You won’t find a tournament anywhere in college competition that treats you like this one,” says Mike Watney, head golf coach of Fresno State University.

Echoing those thoughts, the players knew they were in a totally different environment. “This is far and away the best tournament I’ve ever played in,” states Baylor player, Colton Turnquist. “A real first class event with a wonderful course, and the weather is much better than Chicago’s,” adds Illinois player, Mike O’Neal. The NCAA division one teams along with the only division two competitor, Florida Gulf Coast University, received the top drawer treatment due to the generosity of Jacobsen and an array of national and local sponsors he assembled. Besides use of Germain Lexus vehicles, stays at the Ritz and complementary meals, team members received a $100 debit card from MasterCard to spend in the local area, and attended a gala VIP dinner the first night with sponsor representatives and local celebrities.

During the evening, Jacobsen played the winner from among the collegiate players in a nine-hole round of video arcade Golden Tee Golf, where he was handily defeated by Marquette’s Mike Bielawski. Claiming Bielawski was taking direction from a Marquette player with a 1.8 GPA and years of Golden Tee experience, Jacobsen quickly admitted his own academic standing at the University of Oregon in 1976 convinced him to take up professional golf. The collegiate teams playing in the new tournament included Delaware, Illinois, Wisconsin, Akron, Portland, Baylor, Eastern Illinois, Fresno State, Marquette, Navy, and St. Mary’s College.

Participants played a 54 hole event, with 36 played on March 14 and the final round on March 15. “This is a very competitive tournament. We haven’t seen most of these teams we’re playing, so the first day is new to everyone,” says Watney. The first day of the event saw players grinding out their games on a challenging and unfamiliar course that rewarded players with accurate irons, and punished those that left the fairway. Hammock Bay combines beautiful fairways and rolling greens with penal shell, sand and natural grass areas off the tee boxes and fairway flanks. The collegiates experienced both as they walked, played and ate their lunch during consecutive rounds.

One of the highlights of the day came when Ben Wochner of Eastern Illinois shot a hole-in-one on the 7th hole. Results of the first day of competition found Portland University’s Mike McCabe leading the field by three shots with rounds of 67-69 for an 8-under 136 total. St. Mary’s Liam Kendregan trailed with a 5-under 139, with Wisconsin’s Jeff Kaiser 140 and Baylor’s Jeremy Alcorn at 141 trailing behind. McCabe admitted he was playing some of the best golf in his life as he eagled the par-5 12th hole during both rounds.

The final day of competition paired McCabe, Kendregan and Alcorn as the last group off the number one tee. Asked prior to tee-off if he felt he’d mentally move into a golfing zone, Kendregan replied, “We’ll see after the first hole.” The trio battled it out on the first seven holes with Alcorn closing on Kendregan and McCabe with two birdies, but the big charge came on the 8th hole as he eagled to move within one shot of Kendregan and two of the lead. McCabe held on to the lead until the college senior went triple- and double-bogey on holes 14 and 15 to drop to 5-under, three behind Alcorn and two off the new leader, Kendregan.

Holding off a determined press by Alcorn and McCabe over the last three holes, Kendregan almost faltered when he failed to sink a 15 foot uphill put on the 17th, and Alcorn missed birdying the hole by inches. The finalists move to the 18th tee with Kendregan leading Alcorn by one shot and McCabe by four. Members of the St. Mary’s, Baylor and Portland teams gathered at the 18th green as all three players drove safely down the fairway.

Kendregan once again opened the door for Alcorn as his second shot landed 20 feet short of the green. Alcorn toyed with the approach bunker placing his ball just off the edge of the short grass. Looking at his first tournament win, Kendregan failed to get up and down for his first bogey of the day. Alcorn, however, failed to make a 4-foot par putt to force a playoff giving the win to the St. Mary’s team and their champion. “I thought we’d go to a playoff because I had the jitters on my final putt,” says a relieved Kendregan. “I felt like I was in the zone until I reached 18,” he adds.

St. Mary’s College overcame a two-shot team deficit to beat Baylor for the overall Championship. Illinois finished third and Florida Gulf Coast University carded an eighth place finish among the talented teams.“ I felt like I played decent and had a chance to win, but a bad stroke at the end means I have lots of room for improvement,” says Alcorn. “I will say this course was some of the best surfaces I’ve ever hit from, and the accommodations, meals and activities were great,” he adds. Even in defeat, they’re
still praising this invitational— Thanks, Jake!

Team Results tatio
1. St. Mary’s (Calif.) 845,
2. Baylor 847, 3. Illinois 863,
T4. Wisconsin 873, T4. Marquette
873, 6. Portland 879,
7. Fresno State 884, 8. Florida
Gulf Coast 896, 9. Akron 902,
10. Eastern Illinois 904, 11.
Delaware 953, 12. Navy 954.

Individual results
1. Liam Kendregan (St.
Mary’s) 208, 2. Jeremy Alcorn
(Baylor) 209, T3. Mike McCabe
(Portland) 211, T3. Kyle Hosick
(Illinois) 211, T5. Joe Lanza
(St. Mary’s) 212, T5. Ryan Carter
(Fresno St.) 212, T7. Garrett
Chaussard (Illinois) 213, T7. Jeff
Kaiser (Wisconsin) 213, T7.
Chase Thomas (Baylor) 213, T7.
Joshua Kelley (St. Mary’s) 213,
T11. Kyle Murphy (Marquette)
215, T11. Colton Turnquist
(Baylor) 215, T13. Blake Sattler
(Akron) 216, T13. Chadd Cocco
(St. Mary’s), T15. Jeremy Frye
(Baylor) 217, T15. Will McDonald
(Baylor) 217, T17. Jon Rosa
(Fresno State) 218, T17. Danny
Zimmerman (Illinois) 218, T17.
Jake Easterly (Portland) 218,
T20. Mike Claman (FGCU) 220.
Also: David Steele (FGCU) 224,
Hartley McLeod (FGCU) 224,
Drew Pierson (FGCU) 228, J.J.
Scott (FGCU) 238.