Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. -- The Virginia Tech golf team opens the Spring 2009 season on Friday, Feb. 27 in the Puerto Rico Classic at the par 72, 6,902-yard Rio Mar Country Club River Course in Rio Mar, Puerto Rico. The event will feature 54 holes of competition, from Friday to Sunday.
The field is highlighted by four of the top five teams in the nation according to Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. Georgia, ranked second; Oklahoma State, ranked third; Alabama ranked fourth; and Florida ranked fifth will all take part in the tournament. All 15 teams participating are ranked inside Golfweek’s top 70. Tournament host Purdue is ranked 64th nationally and Virginia Tech is ranked 61st in the poll.
Virginia Tech’s line-up in the first spring event is led by senior Drew Weaver (High Point, N.C.). The 2007 British Amatuer champion played in four PGA Tour events this past summer, highlighted by his appearance in the 2008 Masters Tournament. Weaver made his third consecutive, and fourth overall, appearance in the U.S. Amateur in August. In the fall, Weaver led the Hokies in scoring in three of the four events, finishing no worse than 12th in any event. Weaver is currently ranked 53rd nationally in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings.
Sophomores will occupy the next three spots, led by Marshall Bailey (Fincastle, Va.) at the number-two spot. Bailey was third in scoring for the Hokies this past fall. Garland Green (Tazewell, Va.) will play number-three. He led the Hokies with a fifth place finish at the Landfall Tradition in the final event of the Fall 2008 slate. Aaron Eckstein (Salem, Va.) will play in the fourth spot. Eckstein has played in every event since coming to Blacksburg in the fall of 2007. Freshman Blake Redmond (Sugar Land, Tex.) will round out the line-up for Tech. He played in two events in the fall for the Hokies.
There will be no live scoring available for the event. Check with hokiesports.com for daily updates.