January 26, 1999

ATLANTA - Georgia Tech's sixth-ranked golf team opens its 1999 spring schedule Feb. 11-13 at the Waikoloa Invitational in Kona, Hawaii. The Yellow Jackets ended the fall season ranked second in the 3-North District after compiling a 16-4 record against district opponents. The district ranking leads to berths in the NCAA East Regional, which Tech won a year ago.

Tech will play in a field predominantly loaded with west coast teams, and will include seven teams ranked the MasterCard Collegiate Golf Foundation top 25, including No. 4 UNLV and No. 9 Arizona State along with Tech in the top 10.

"From the first tournament onward we will face NCAA Tournament-quality fields," said fourth-year head coach Bruce Heppler. "That is the kind of competition we need to be playing because we need to start playing well and gain momentum. Our players have made a decision to try to win everytime out and a big factor is Matt Kuchar dedicating himself to this team and to winning. The Waikoloa Invitational will be a great starting place for us to get ready for the very rugged Puerto Rico tournament."

Tech registered four top five tournament finishes in the fall, including second place in the Ridges Invitational and third place at the Duke Golf Classic. 1998 Jack Nicklaus Collegiate Player of the Year Bryce Molder (Conway, Ark.) finished the fall ranked third in the MasterCard individual ranking after registering three top 10 finishes and ending with a 71.53 stroke per round average. Junior Carlton Forrester (Gainesville, Ga.) was second on the team with a 72.41 stroke average and had two top 10 finishes. Junior Matt Kuchar (Lake Mary, Fla.), the 1998 Fred Haskins National Player of the Year, finished with a 74.11 stroke average and missed two tournaments due to a bad back. His return to prominence will be a key to watch for Tech.

After returning from Hawaii, Tech travels to Rio Mar, Puerto Rico, to play in the Puetro Rico Invitational, which will feature No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 Georgia.

Tech's Complete Schedule: Feb. 11-13; at Big Island Invitational (Kona, Hawaii); Feb. 21-23; at Puerto Rico Invitational; March 12-14; at Golf Digest Invitational (Las Vegas, Nev.); March 27-28; at Chris Schenkel Intercollegiate (Statesboro, Ga.); April 2-3; Carpet Capital Collegiate (Dalton, Ga.); April 16-18; ACC Championship (Uwharrie Point, N.C.); May 20-22; NCAA East Regional (Kingston, R.I.); June 1-5; NCAA Championship (Minneapolis, Minn.)