MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry University's No. 2-ranked men's golf team opens the spring season Monday and Tuesday at the Matlock Invitational in Lakeland, Fla.
The Buccaneers, which brought in three new players at the semester break, won one tournament in the fall and finished second in two others. The Bucs won the Brickyard Invitational in Indianapolis to begin the fall season as Berry Jole captured the individual medalist honor, shooting a 9-under 207 to beat 2012 NCAA Division II Player of the Year Ben Taylor of Nova Southeastern. Two other Buccanners, Marcus Segerstrom and Scott Smyers, finished in the top nine at that tournament as Barry won the team title by five strokes over No. 1 Nova Southeastern.
Segerstrom won the Flagler College Jennison Memorial in Barry's second event of the fall. He shot a 1-under 215 to win by three strokes over Rollins' Tyler Sluman. The Bucs finished second, four strokes behind team champ Armstrong Atlantic in Saint Augustine, Fla.
Last year at the Matlock Invitational, the Buccaneers tied for second, a stroke behind champ Florida Tech at Lone Palm Golf Course. Smyers, a Lakeland native, finished second at the event on his home course.
This year, the Buccaneers added the 2012 PNGA Player of the Year in Adam Svensson, who will be making his college debut in Lakeland. Jaime Rodriguez, who has competed in four tournaments in his two years at Barry, has performed well during spring qualifying to earn a spot in the five-man rotation in Lakeland. Marcelo Huarte, an honorable mention All-American in 2012 who missed the final event of the fall, is back in the mix at Matlock as well.
Barry's home tournament this season, the Buccaneer Invitational, will be held April 1-2 at Normandy Shores Golf Course in Miami Beach. The Bucs, which will bring in some of the top 10 teams in the nation to the annual tournament, have won the past five Buccaneer Invitationals.