Northwestern University Athletics
No. 13 Northwestern Heads to Puerto Rico
2/20/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Feb. 20, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's 13th-ranked (Golfweek/Sagarin) men's golf team will seek its second straight tournament win next week, traveling to Palmer, P.R. for the NCAA Puerto Rico Classic. Tournament play begins Sunday, Feb. 23 and continues through Tuesday, Feb. 25.
NU is coming off a convincing win at the Rice Intercollegiate on Feb. 10-11. The 'Cats topped second-place North Texas by 18 strokes to capture their opening event of the spring season. Individually, senior Scott Harrington (Portland, Ore./Jesuit) brought home his first career tournament title, rolling in an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole to edge Missouri's Chris Happ by one stroke.
"Scott is a great leader who has worked very hard," assistant coach Erik Ciotti said. "We were so happy to see him get rewarded for his hard work."
Ciotti and volunteer assistant coach Jeff Mory-NU's head coach from 1990-97-will handle NU's coaching responsibilities in Puerto Rico. Head coach Pat Goss will be in Evanston with his wife, who gave birth to the couple's third daughter Wednesday afternoon.
"It's not going to change the guys too much," Ciotti said of Goss' absence. "We will be ready to go."
The Puerto Rico Classic consistently draws the nation's top teams. Nine of the top 20 teams in the current Golfweek poll will participate in the 54-hole event. Top-ranked Clemson and defending champion Georgia Tech (No. 19) head this year's field, which also includes Big Ten schools Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, the defending national champion, and host Purdue.
"This is an important tournament," Ciotti said. "We want the guys to have fun, but stay focused. We've already been outside twice this year. In past years, we've gone to Puerto Rico without having been outside. Hopefully that will help."
NU will be participating in its third straight Puerto Rico Classic. The 'Cats placed 13th in 2002, following a 10th-place finish in 2001. In the latest Golf Coaches Association of America poll, NU is ranked 20th.
