Sept. 14, 2008

FLORENCE, S.C. - The Samford University men's golf team will compete in its second tournament in seven days Monday as the Bulldogs begin play in the 24th-annual Raines Development Group Intercollegiate Tournament hosted by Francis Marion University at the Country Club of South Carolina.

The 54-hole event will consist of 36 holes Monday and 18 holes Tuesday. Play will begin Monday with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. The CCSC course is a par-72 layout measured at 7,062 yards.

The tournament field includes host Francis Marion, Appalachian State, College of Charleston, Charleston Southern, Davidson, East Carolina, Elon, Georgia Southern, Georgia College & State University, Old Dominion, Presbyterian College, Samford, USC Aiken, Western Carolina, Winthrop, Wofford, William and Mary, and defending tournament champion Furman.

Samford heads into Monday's opening day of the tournament looking to improve from its ninth-place finish at the 2008 Cobb-Ferrell Mean Green Classic last week. The Bulldogs' concluded the three-round competition with a final team score of 906 (299-300-307).

At the Lantana Country Club (par 72/7,147 yards), the Bulldogs' Andrew Villarreal carded the team's best score of the final day with an even-par 72. Samford's senior from Decatur, Ala., finished the Mean Green Classic with a final score of 220 (72-76-72).

The Bulldogs concluded the final round of play just five strokes short of eighth-place Texas-San Antonio, which posted a team total of 902.

Samford's Ian Cutting finished with the Bulldogs' best overall score Tuesday with a two-day total of 2-over 218. Cutting, Samford's senior from Fayetteville, Ga., earned a tie for sixth place in the tournament.

The Samford University men's golf team will begin play in the 24th-annual Raines Development Group Intercollegiate Tournament at 8 a.m., Monday at the Country Club of South Carolina.