Feb. 20, 1998

Current Mastercard Ranking: 30th (December 10, 1997)
Final 1996-97 Rolex Ranking: 6th (June 4, 1997)
1997 ACC Championships Finish: 3rd
1997 NCAA Championships Finish: 2nd
Head Coach: Jerry Haas (Wake Forest '85), first season
Sports Information Contact: Jen Hoover, Assistant SID
Website: www.wakeforestsports.com

The Wake Forest men's golf team, coming off its most successful season in the last decade, looks to have all the pieces in place for a serious run at the national title in 1998. The Deacs return four starters from the squad that finished second at last year's NCAA Championships, including two All-Americans. New head coach Jerry Haas, who took over the Deacon program this fall, is confident that his veteran squad will be up to the challenge in '98. The Deacons will be anchored by senior Todd Lynch and junior Michael Capone, who earned third-team and honorable mention All-America honors, respectively, for their outstanding play last spring. Also returning are senior Ryan Gioffre, one of the team's most consistent players, and junior Oscar Sanchez, who joined Lynch on the All-ACC squad last year. Seniors Ray Floyd, Jr. and Thomas Parker, junior Juan Vizcaya, sophomore Jamie Gallacher, and freshman Patrick Damron will compete to fill the fifth spot in the lineup.

Jerry Haas took over the reins of the Demon Deacon golf program in September of 1997 upon the retirement of Jack Lewis. A 1985 graduate of Wake Forest and a four-time collegiate All-American, Haas played nine years of professional golf, including four years on the PGA Tour, before returning to his alma mater as a coach. This marks Haas' first stint as a collegiate coach.

With a brand new coach, a busy slate of six competitive tournaments, and hectic travel schedule, Wake struggled through a rocky fall season. The Deacs faced some of the stiffest competition in collegiate golf, travelling to Japan, New Mexico, Texas, Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina for tournaments. Wake's only top five finish came in the first event of the season, when the Deacs placed fifth out of 12 U.S. and Japanese teams at the Topy Cup in Japan. The team posted three other top 10's, including seventh place at the Taylor Made Red River Classic and sixth place at both the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate and the Rolex Match Play Championships. The Deacs' best round (289) and best overall score (879) came at the Jerry Pate. Two Deacs recorded individual top 10 finishes: Todd Lynch was 10th at the Jerry Pate and Thomas Parker placed a career-best 10th at the Red River. Michael Capone was Wake's most consistent golfer with a 73.5 stroke average and two top 20's. Lynch had a 73.7 average and was ranked 72nd in the final fall Mastercard rankings. As a team, Wake Forest was No. 30 in the final rankings.

Wake Forest opens the spring season at the Puerto Rico Golf Classic in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. The event features a strong field of 15 teams, six of which are ranked in the Mastercard top 20. The 54-hole tournament will be played on the Rio Mar Golf Club's River Course, a 6,945-yard, par-72 course designed by Greg Norman.

A Look at the Deacon Lineup

Career SA: 74.1. Earned All-ACC and third-team All-America honors last year...led the team with eight top 10's and a 72.7 stroke average...shot the best round in collegiate golf in '96-97 with a 63...finished 63rd at the NCAA's...recorded a 73.7 average through six fall events...four-year starter...owns 12 career top 10 finishes.

Career SA: 73.8. Finished sixth at the 1997 NCAA Championships (his highest-ever finish) and earned honorable mention All-America honors...recorded one other top 10 finish, placing eighth at the ACC Championships...led the team this fall with a 73.5 stroke average and two top 20 finishes in six events.

Career SA: 75.2. One of the Deacs' most consistent golfers who is looking to take his game up a notch in '98...recorded a 74.2 stroke average through 10 events last year...finished 30th at the NCAA Championships with a final-round score of 68.

Career SA: 74.6. Earned All-ACC honors in 1997...recorded the second-best stroke average on the team last year with a 73.5 through 10 events...earned four top 10 finishes, winning the Carpet Capital Collegiate Classic...finished 47th at the NCAA's...struggled this fall, posting a 76.9 average in four events.

Career SA: 75.6. Finished 96-97 at No. 34 in the Rolex Rankings...played in four events, posting a 74.7 stroke average...competed in two events this fall...owns two career top 10's, including a second at the '96 Taylor Made Red River Classic.