Same old spring story for men's golf team ... lousy weather

After a couple weeks of battling the weather in Ann Arbor, the Michigan men's golf team heads to Dallas this weekend to compete in the Tanglewood Invitational.

One concern for the Wolverines is that the chilly, rainy weather in Michigan recently has made it difficult to practice outdoors.

"This week (the Tanglewood Invitational) is going to be a little tough on us," Michigan coach Jim Carras said. "We have not been able to practice outside since we got back from Fripp Island (S.C.)"

Despite the lack of outdoor play this winter, Michigan followed a successful fall campaign with an eighth place finish in the Fripp Island Invitational during spring break. The 20-team event gave the Wolverines reason for optimism heading into this weekend.

As he did throughout the fall, Mike Harris led the way in South Carolina by shooting a four-under par 209 (73-69-67), which was good for a second-place finish. Harris, who won the Kroger Invitational in Memphis and the Persimmon Ridge Invitational in Louisville last fall, finished just three strokes behind Jacksonville's Ronald Groflin.

The play of Mike Affeldt, who only qualified for one tournament during the fall season, was the most pleasant surprise of the 54-hole event. Affeldt finished fourth overall at Fripp Island when he carded rounds of 68-71-71 (210).

Keith Hinton and Kevin Vernick, two of Michigan's steadiest players in the fall, struggled at times in South Carolina, posting scores of 220 (74-71-75) and 225 (74-76-75), respectively.

During the fall campaign, Harris, Vernick, and Hinton competed in all five tournaments for Michigan and gave Carras stability among his top three performers.

But changes in the final two spots were as common as White House scandals.

Affeldt, Mike Reabe, Scott Hayes, and Kevin Harris - Mike's brother - all competed in the fourth and fifth positions during the fall.

Affeldt and Reabe are Carras' choices this week to travel with Harris, Vernick and Hinton to compete in the 54-hole event. But Carras hopes that two players will emerge and solidify these positions soon.

"Every coach knows that you're only as good as your fourth and fifth men," he said. "Our success will depend on how the fourth and fifth men play."

The Wolverines, who will play 36 holes on Saturday and 18 holes on Sunday, begin an important stretch this weekend.

"Right now, we are a bubble team as far as making it into NCAA Regionals (May 14-16)," Carras said. "We are competing with four or five other schools for a spot. We really need to play well in the next three tournaments."

03-26-98