May 14, 1999
FAST FACTS
Year: Senior
Height: 6-1
Hometown: Cranston, Rhode Island
High School: Bishop Hendricken
1998-99 Average: 72.7
Mastercard Ranking: No. 32
GolfWeek/Sagarin Ranking: No. 47
1998-99 Honors: All-ACC, Team MVP
A HOMETOWN FAVORITE
Michael Capone returns to his home state of Rhode Island to play a
familiar course in front of a hometown crowd, representing Wake Forest as
an individual competitor at the 1999 NCAA Men's Golf East Regional
Championships. A native of nearby Cranston, RI, Capone followed in the
footsteps of his boyhood hero and another native Rhode Islander, Billy
Andrade, by attending Wake Forest. Capone was the 1996 Rhode Island
Amateur Champion and the 1997 Rhode Island Stroke Play Champion.
CAPONE IN 1998-99
A 1999 All-ACC pick and Team MVP, Capone has been the Deacons' most
consistent player this year. He started all 12 events for the Deacs and
recorded a team-low 72.7 stroke average, earning four top 10 finishes and
three other top 20 showings. After challenging for medalist honors in
several spring events, Capone won the first tournament of his career three
weeks ago, carding three consecutive rounds in the 60s (68-68-69) to win
the Wofford Invitational. His 54-hole total of 205 tied the tournament
record and was seven strokes lower than his previous career best. Ranked
No. 32 in the nation, Capone has carded 19 of 34 rounds at or under par,
including a career-low 66 at the Carpet Capital Classic.
CAPONE IN THE NCAAs
An NCAA veteran, Capone competed in post- season play in both 1997
and 1998. In 1997, he finished 11th at the NCAA East Regional and went on
to place sixth at the NCAA Championships, helping Wake Forest to a
runner-up finish. Last year, Capone had a 29th-place showing at the East
Regional, as the Deacons failed to make the cut.
Michael Capone's NCAA Finishes
1997 Regionals 71-76-71=218 11th
Nationals 75-70-71-68=284 6th
1998 Regionals 72-69-76=217 29th
CAREER NOTES
Capone has competed in 38 events in his collegiate career, posting
a 73.6 stroke average and six top 10 finishes. He played in just two
events as a freshman, tallying a respectable 74.2 average, then went on to
enjoy a strong sophomore campaign. In 1996-97, Capone posted a 73.8
average and came on strong down the stretch, placing eighth at the ACCs and
sixth at the NCAA Championships to earn Honorable Mention All-America
honors. As a junior, he held a 74.0 average in 12 events, but finished in
the top 20 just twice. As a senior, however, Capone has truly elevated his
game to a new level. He trimmed his average to 72.7 (including 72.3 in the
spring), winning his first career title and earning All-ACC honors. In 109
career rounds, Capone has shot in the 60s 12 times, including seven times
this year.
THE DEACS IN 1998-99
Wake Forest failed to land a team bid to the NCAAs for the first
time since 1966, snapping an impressive 32-year streak. Still rebuilding
under second-year head coach Jerry Haas, the Demon Deacons have suffered
from their share of growing pains in 1998-99 despite Capone's consistent
play. The team finished in the top half of the field in only three of its
12 tournaments on the year - the G. Gunby Jordan Intercollegiate in the
fall (5th of 15) and the Seminole Classic (7th of 16) and Carpet Capital
Classic (6th of 18) in the spring.
WAKE FOREST IN THE NCAAs
Wake Forest has a long and storied NCAA history, which includes 39
NCAA Tournament appearances since 1949 and three national team
championships (1974, 75, 86). In addition, a Demon Deacon has captured the
NCAA individual title on five occasions.
Wake Forest's NCAA Individual Champions
1949 Arnold Palmer
1950 Arnold Palmer
1974 Curtis Strange
1975 Jay Haas
1979 Gary Hallberg
CAPONE'S CAREER STATISTICS
Year Events Rounds Strokes Avg/18 Avg/54 Best 18 Best 54 Best Fin
1995-96 2 5 371 74.20 222.60 70 226 28th
1996-97 12 37 2732 73.84 221.51 68 214 6th
1997-98 12 33 2442 74.00 222.00 69 217 16th
1998-99 12 34 2472 72.71 218.12 66 205 1st
Totals 38 109 8017 73.55 220.65 66 205 1st
CAPONE'S CAREER RESULTS
1995-96
Matlock Collegiate 70-75=145 28th
Carpet Capital Classic 74-71-81=226 37th
1996-97
Reliastar Invitational 80-72-76=228 29th
Missouri Bluffs Intercoll. 79-72-72=223 37th
TM Red River Classic 74-68-72=214 29th
Jerry Pate Intercollegiate 75-73-77=225 35th
Puerto Rico Classic 76-80-81=237 63rd
Matlock Collegiate 76-70-69=215 13th
Seminole Classic 76-74-74=224 31st
Carpet Capital Classic 78-73-75=226 31st
PING Intercollegiate 73-76-69=218 18th
ACC Championships 76-73-71=220 8th
NCAA East Regional 71-76-71=218 11th
NCAA Championships 75-70-71-68=284 6th
1997-98
The Topy Cup 77-70-76=223 16th
Ping/GolfWeek Preview 72-75-72=219 27th
TM Red River Classic 72-73-75=220 16th
Jerry Pate Intercollegiate 72-73-77=222 21st
Rolex Match Play Champs. 1-1-1 --
Golfworld/Palmetto Dunes 72-71-75=218 31st
Puerto Rico Classic 72-84-70=226 27th
Golf Digest Invitational 72-75-77=224 39th
Carpet Capital Classic 77-78-73=228 53rd
BellSouth Intercollegiate 78-73-71=222 21st
ACC Championships 74-76-73=223 37th
NCAA East Regional 72-69-76=217 29th
1998-99
G. Gunby Jordan 70-74-71=215 6th
Ridges Intercollegiate 70-75-76=221 32nd
Windon Memorial 70-82=152 34th
TM Red River Classic 70-69-74=213 16th
Duke Classic 72-77-76=225 43rd
Puerto Rico Classic 71-72-69=212 12th
Seminole Classic 76-76=152 31st
Schenkel Intercollegiate 71-69-78=218 10th
Carpet Capital Classic 66-72-74=212 5th
BellSouth Intercollegiate 77-72-78=227 43rd
ACC Championships 74-71-75=220 12th
Wofford Invitational 68-68-69=205 1st
1998-99 WAKE FOREST STATISTICS
Name Evnts Rds Strks Avg/18 Avg/54 Best 18 Best 54 Best Fin
Michael Capone 12 34 2472 72.71 218.12 66 205 1st
Oscar Sanchez 12 34 2553 75.09 225.26 70 221 6th
Jay Morgan 9 25 894 75.76 227.28 70 220 8th
Jamie Gallacher 10 28 2125 75.89 227.68 70 219 24th
Juan Vizcaya 6 18 1387 77.06 231.17 71 225 40th
Thomas Parker 7 21 1625 77.38 232.14 71 223 40th
Ryan Peiffer* 4 10 776 77.60 232.80 73 225 31st
Craig Inman 1 3 251 83.67 251.00 78 251 69th
Team 12 34 10131 297.97 893.91 285 880 5th
* competed in one event as an individual
PERCENTAGE OF ROUNDS COUNTED
Name Played Counted Percent
Michael Capone 34 32 .941
Oscar Sanchez 34 32 .941
Jay Morgan 25 21.5 .860
Jamie Gallacher 28 21.5 .768
Thomas Parker 21 13.5 .643
Juan Vizcaya 18 11.5 .639
Ryan Peiffer 7 4 .571
Craig Inman 3 0 .000
TEAM 170 136 .800
