Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Confid By Ralph Stice Gamocock Staff Writer Fresh off an outstanding fourthplace finish in the prestigious Gator Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, the USC golf team heads into their spring season with high nopes ot getting an NCAA tour ik V** ' ^ 9r^fl^0V^ ISyUMBv jk |fltf?^^^HI&|ng?9E^HHBMrj|^^B||H|SQEV$i?tx jSr: 1 ~ J^" r^3 jm"^' ^'WWBm 'J^MSBI|^!n J^B ^Hs,*a,!Wk i* jgSm ^fBS .* ^Bml^ Coach Bobby Foster (backgr member Joe Graham as he b/ai from last year. n \V' Phoioi on and Turn in . Foste lent golf t nament bid. The squad, comprised of Steve Liebler, Dirk Maust. Tim Baker, Joe Graham, George McDonell. and Jim Watson, looks to be the best-ever unit at USC and their collective performance in their first tournament did nothing to alter that opinion. * * ** ?w," . -'* ' ound) supervises golf team its out of a sand trap in action m must dipii I off campus i all entries t is full-time coacl earn swir # "It (the tournament) was about our best tournament ever. We played very consistently. We left there holding our heads high," coach Bobby Foster said. fu 4,,0? li'.e vjdiiiccucits liiusucu juai eight shots out of first place while topping such golfing powerhouses as Ohio State (the defending national champions), Georgia, and North Carolina. Freshman McDonell led the way for the team, compiling a 211 total for the threeround tournament. "I finished badly two days but I still played well," he said. "I think a lot of it was because the team pulled together and rooted for everyone else. It was a total team effort." TEAM EFFORT: those two wuius> cum avziei i?e una a squad best. "Everybody is in a good frame of mind," Baker said. "We've got a more unified team than other teams. We're a very close-knit unit. Everybody's really dedicated to having a good 'season." "I think right now we're playing more as a team. Everybody contributed and we all worked together rather than five guys. going out and playing for themselves," Liebler added. USC will need an exceptional team effort to get one of the seven bids granted in the Southeast district to the National Championships in Columbus, Ohio. The Gamecocks' district includes the Southeastern and Atlantic Coast conferences as well as alwaystough Florida State and Georgia Southern, winners of the Gator Invitational. "Our district is unbelievably strong," Foster said. "A top-five finish in our district tournaments will be more impressive than some of the other teams in other districts winning a tournament." . The squad will .play six more Car PS Ca :t lifestyle c i. in ai Room I igs into sc tournaments against stringent competition as well as a dual match with South Carolina State. The Pinehurst Invitational and ^??i t..i 11 _ i. soumern lniercuuegiuie iaim us the toughest contests the Gamecocks will participate in. Judging from the team's performance in Gainesville last weekend they should stack up with any team in the country. "I think overall this is the strongest team we've had since I've been here. We've got six real good players, six real consistent players," Liebler said. "We'll have a good chance to win a couple of tournaments," Baker said. McDonell added, "We knew because of our excellent fall spasnn fhnt wp r?nnlH nlav with WVMWV.. ^ r,v*^ anybody if we played well." Foster feels that the team gained much-needed confidence at the tournament because of their ability to hold onto its high standing, a weakpoint of past USC editions. "We feel like we can win a few tournaments now," he saick "We're more prepared physically and our self-concept has vastly improved. This team believes in itself." LIEBLEK, USC's top player, has taken the leadership role for the team. "We've got one of the best players in the country here," McDonell said. "He's (Liebler) a real leader too. He's helped me a lot. Every team needs a gtiy who is a leader and a real good player, and he's it for us." "Steve is a real hard worker," Foster added. "His composure is probably his strongest point. We feel like he is one of the top 15 players in the country." Maust and Baker round out the rpmainripr nf tpam'c nnro announcing net and Bis mia Hants sit Prizi Fop color i and white ENTRY I 91.00 pi If use *hid 311, Russel >ason "Dirk is the best putter on the team. Also he has added :',5-40 yards to his game through a physical fitness program. He has made himself a good player through sheer work." said Foster. osier says 01 tsaKer: "lie nas a beautiful natural swing. He will catch fire now because of his improved putting." McDonell, Graham, and Watson make up the remainder of the squad. Foster thinks that McDonell "has to be one of the best freshmen in the country," and Graham is "talented all the way around." Watson plays as the number-six man and therefore is eligible to play in some tournaments. "Jim is pulling himself ' i??- I 1 __ up ov nis Dootsiraps. we ininK ne s really going to help us," Foster said. ORCHESTRATING this talented group requires a lot of attention and for that reason Foster was elevated to full-time head coach last October, the first ever at USC. The players feel that this change will produce nothing but positive results. "I think it (the change) is probably going to improve the program," Leibler said. "He can spend a whole lot more time with hie nlauorc rotlior thin riitrislinrf ?*w f/iujviu iuviiv/1 vimti ui v iuiii^ ma time between being a coach and a professional." "He's spent 100 percent more time with us, and that helps," McDonell added. Foster said of the move, "If I do a good job it ought to help. And I plan on doing it because I love to do it." 1 ick si es and black prints FEE: rr print enta, I House