Golf glimpses Ivies' title course

Two weeks after winning its first tournament of the year at Army, the Penn golf team heads back to New York to compete in the St. John's Invitational this weekend. The trip marks the most important test yet for the Quakers, as they will face their toughest competition of the year and, more important, will get their first taste of the Bethpage Red Course, the site of the Ivy Championships in the spring. The Quakers traditionally play the Bethpage Black Course, but since the Black Course is closed in preparation for the 2001 U.S. Open, the tournament will be held on the untested Red Course. "We'll see how the team plays the course," Penn junior Brian Owens said. "We've always done well on the Black Course, so hopefully we can translate that into success on the Red Course." The long, par-70 course was designed by A.W. Tillanghast, called by Penn coach Francis Vaughn, "one of the best course designers out there." Penn has had experience with Tillanghast courses, however. He designed Penn's home course at the Pennsylvania Cricket Club. Today's first practice round at Bethpage's narrow, tree-lined course is "critically important" for the Quakers, according to Vaughn. "It enables us to see the golf course's strengths and weaknesses." Vaughn hopes the practice will help the team's course management. "Especially since no one has seen the golf course, [course management] helps you to maximize what you do well and minimize mistakes, playing away from trouble." "We'll try to get as many practice rounds in as we can," said Owens, who placed fourth at West Point. "Hopefully it will show us how much accuracy we'll need." After defeating Ivy rivals Yale, Brown and Columbia two weeks ago at Army, the Quakers run up against tough competition from Princeton and other East Coast powerhouse schools like host St. John's. "[St. John's] beat all the teams we beat at Army," Vaughn said. "They have a great advantage because they're the only team to play the course." Although Penn is confident after second- and first-place finishes in its previous two tournaments, Vaughn is wary of overconfidence. "In watching the Ryder Cup, some of the guys can see what overconfidence can do to you," said Vaughn, referring to the heavily favored American team's loss to the Europeans. Still, the only opponent the Penn is worried about is themselves. All competition aside, Penn is looking to the St. John's Invitational as a tune-up for its eventual goal of an Ivy Championship.

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