Northwestern University Athletics
20th-Ranked Wildcats Prepare for Kepler Invitational
4/11/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
April 11, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill.--Northwestern's 20th-ranked (Golfweek/Sagarin poll) men's golf team travels to Columbus, Ohio this weekend for the 34th Annual Robert Kepler Invitational. The 54-hole tournament begins Saturday, April 12 with 36 holes of play and concludes Sunday with one final round.
Golfers face a long 7,251-yard, par-72 Ohio State University Scarlet Golf Course that has hosted three NCAA national championships, including last year's men's championship.
Junior Tom Johnson (Sacramento, Calif./Del Campo), ranked 33rd nationally in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin index, will not be in the Wildcats' lineup this weekend due to a violation of a team rule. Northwestern head coach Pat Goss stressed how important it was that other team members, especially seniors Scott Harrington (Portland, Ore./Jesuit) and Bjorn Widerstedt (Vasteras, Sweden/Carlforsska Gymnasiet) compensate for Johnson's absence.
"For us to succeed without Tom we will need Scott and Bjorn to step up, as well as Casey Strunk," says Goss. "This is Casey's third trip to Ohio State so he should be acclimated and ready for success."
The Wildcats have placed first or second in five of the past six Kepler Invitationals, winning in 1999 and 2000. "Historically we have had a lot of success at Ohio State," says Goss. "I am always excited and challenged to take my team to this event."
Since joining the Wildcats in 2001-02, Widerstedt is playing his best golf to date. He earned Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors last week for his performance (fourth place) at the Oregon Duck Invitational. He is now ranked a career-best 50th in the Golfweek/Sagarin index.
Nine of the 16 teams playing at the Kepler are ranked in the top 100 (Golfweek/Sagarin). 26th-ranked Illinois and 41st-ranked Toledo join the Wildcats as top-50 clubs competing in the event.
Last year's team champion, UNLV, is not a part of this year's field. The Wildcats finished fourth a year ago and were led by Harrington, who placed second, four shots off the lead. Last year's Kepler was cut short by a round, due to rain on the final day.
Thirteen of the 16 teams competing in this weekend's event come from either the Big Ten or Mid-American Conferences.
