April 11, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Buoyed by two solid rounds at last week's U.S. Collegiate Championships in Arizona, Northwestern's men's golf team is hoping the strong showing carries over into this weekend's Kepler Intercollegiate event. The tournament, which includes every Big Ten program with the exception of Minnesota and Penn State, has been one of the Wildcats' best events under Head Coach Pat Goss.
Since Goss became NU's coach in 1997, the 'Cats have finished first or second at the Ohio State tournament. In 1999 and 2000, Northwestern placed first, and in 1998 and 2002, the Wildcats placed second.
"We've always played well there," says Goss. "I'm anxious to see if that trend continues this year. We're certainly capable of it. Last weekend was an important step for us to get back on track."
The Wildcats' better play of late has coincided with an improved performance from sophomore Tom Johnson (Fair Oaks, Calif./Del Campo), NU's top golfer. Last weekend, he placed fifth at the U.S. Collegiate Championships with a 5-under 211. As a result, his national Golfweek/Sagarin index ranking climbed to No. 27, from No. 42.
Due to the large number of Big Ten and district competitors in the field, this event carries added significance for NCAA postseason purposes.