Ball State University Athletics
Men?s Golf Hosting Talis Park Challenge in Florida
March 14, 2015 | Men's Golf
NAPLES, Fla. -- The Ball State men's golf team is back in Florida to host the second annual Talis Park Challenge, featuring a pair of top-15 teams.
No. 5 Vanderbilt and No. 13 LSU headline the 15-team field at Talis Park Golf Club. The 54-hole event features two rounds Sunday with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start and the final round Monday. Live scoring is available at birdiefire.com.
Vanderbilt is the defending champion, while LSU is in the field for the first time. Texas A&M, Michigan State and Akron are also new to this year's field, while Wichita State, Florida Gulf Coast, Notre Dame, Indiana, Eastern Michigan, Toledo, Miami, Northern Illinois and Xavier are back for year two.
Ball State will be competing in its first stroke play event of the spring, returning to action for the first time since the Earl Yestingsmeier Match Play in the second week of February. The Cardinals hosted that rain-shortened event in Dade City, Fla, and tied for third.
McCormick Clouser went 2-0 at the match play tournament and will again play at the top of the Ball State lineup this week in Naples. One of the top golfers in the Mid-American Conference, he leads the team with a 73.58 scoring average.
Clouser will be joined in the lineup by fellow senior Zach Yinger and a trio of freshmen – Johnny Watts, Michael VanDeventer and Michael Makris. Derek Kundenreich will compete as an individual.
Talis Park, designed by Greg Norman and Pete Dye, has been ranked by Golf Digest as one of the top 20 courses in Florida. Ball State alum Dave Witt serves as the club's director of golf.
