Feb. 10, 2006

For Immediate Release
Contact: Brandon Kolditz
wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444

ORLANDO, Fla. - The University of Memphis men's golf team will open its spring schedule on Monday in the Rio Pinar Intercollegiate hosted by UCF, but the team will do so without head coach Grant Robbins.

Robbins underwent successful surgery on Thursday to repair a bulging disc in his back. The third year coach will be out two to three weeks. Guiding the team in Robbins place will be Memphis Associate Athletic Director Bob Winn who previously took over interim coaching duties during the 2003 spring season after the sudden passing away of long-time Tiger coach Jim Cook. Robbins hopes to return traveling with the team on Feb. 27 when the Tigers compete in the All-American Golf Classic hosted by Houston.

Sophomore Robbie Greenwell leads the Tigers into their first spring competition in the No. 1 slot. The Georgetown, Ontario native competed in two fall tournaments and is averaging a 78.2. He is followed in the lineup by senior Mike Regenold who is one of three Tiger golfers to compete in all four fall events. A Collierville, Tenn., native, Regenold has a career 76.6 average and had his best finish in the fall at the Gopher Invitational where he shot 15-over 231 to tie for 30th.

Competing in the third spot is sophomore Ian Rochester whose 74.6 average in the fall placed second on the team. The Cordova native had one top 10 finish in the fall, tying for eighth at the Memphis Intercollegiate. Rounding out the Memphis rotation is senior Clayton Ellis and sophomore Gavin Aldridge, who makes his first collegiate tournament cut.

The Tigers, who are ranked 108 by Golfweek, are one of 18 teams to compete in the fifth annual tournament held at the Rio Pinar Country Club. The teams will compete in 36 holes on Monday followed by 18 to conclude the tournament on Tuesday. Other teams competing in the tournament are No. 32 Louisville, No. 50 Texas- Arlington, Davidson, Furman Lamar Mercer Michigan, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Nevada, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Tulane, UCF, UNC-Wilmington, USF and Wichita State.

The Rio Pinar Country Club is a par 72 course designed by Mark Mahanna in 1957. The tree-lined golf course showcases large oaks and towering pines. With 43 bunkers and a winding canal which runs through five holes, Rio Pinar provides 6,978 yards of challenging championship golf.

From 1966-78, Rio Pinar hosted the Florida Citrus Open, one of the events on the PGA TOUR. Golf legends Lee Trevino and Hale Irwin are both former winners of the event that is now the Bay Hill Invitational. Following the 1978 event, the course hosted the Ladies Citrus Classic, an LPGA Tour event from 1978-81.