March 2, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. -- After beginning its spring season last week at the Central District Invitational in Florida, Northwestern heads the opposite direction this week, playing in the Fourth Rio Verde Collegiate Invitational in Rio Verde, Ariz., just outside Phoenix.
The Wildcats, ranked 45th in this week's Golfweek/Sagarin index, are the highest ranked team in the 17-school field -- a group that consists primarily of Big Ten and Mid-American Conference programs. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan are the other four Big Ten schools competing in Arizona this week.
The tournament gets underway at 1 p.m. local time with a shotgun start. The teams will play 18 holes on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (March 2-4).
This event, formerly known as the East/West Rio Verde Invitational, was won by Western Michigan (2003) in its inaugural year. Michigan, which is ranked 63rd in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin index, is the defending champion.
The Rio Verde Collegiate Invitational is being played on the White Wing Golf Course (par-71, 6,073 yards).
Live scoring will be available for the tournament at Rio Verde Collegiate Invitational.