April 18, 2009

The University of Memphis golf team is set to play in the Conference USA Championship this weekend in Orlando, Fla. The event is being hosted by UCF and the Central Florida Sports Commission and is being held at the Red Tail Golf Course.

11 teams will be competing this week: ECU, Houston, Marshall, Memphis, Rice, SMU, Southern Miss, Tulsa, UAB, UCF, and UTEP. Last year, UAB claimed the conference title with a 9 stroke victory over Southern Miss. The Tigers actually led after shooting a team total 277 on the first day. They went on to finish third and make their first appearance in the NCAA East Regional in over 20 years.

This could be the final competition as Tigers for seniors Brad Benjamin and Jordan Payne. Both have had impressive careers and have been leaders on the team this year. Payne has posted seven career top-20 finishes, including two top-five finishes this season. Benjamin, a letter winner for four consecutive years, has turned in four top-10 finishes in his career, including a victory in the 2007 Palisades Collegiate Classic.

The 2009 Conference USA Men's Golf Championship gets underway tomorrow morning, April 19 at 7:30 a.m. (CT). Live scoring will be available for the event via www.golfstat.com.