April 24, 1999

LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech University men's golf team will open play in the 1999 Big 12 Conference Men's Golf Championship on Monday, April 26. The tournament is being held in Hutchinson, Kansas at the 6593 yard, par 70 Prairie Dunes Country Club.

The 54-hole event will feature 36 holes of play on Monday with the final 18 holes coming Tuesday. Texas Tech is scheduled for an 8:00 am tee off on Monday. Tuesday's tee times will be based on Monday's results.

The Big 12 Conference has six teams ranked in the latest MasterCard Collegiate Golfstat National Rankings. No. 6 Oklahoma State is highest ranked team in the field. The Cowboys are followed by Texas (8th), Nebraska (15th), Oklahoma (22nd), Kansas (30th) and Baylor (43rd).

Oklahoma State has won the previous two Big 12 championships with Texas being the runner-up both times. Oklahoma's Hunter Haas claimed medalist honors last year defeating Brad Elder of Texas by one stroke.

The Red Raiders are coming off a 10th place showing at the Copy Systems/Toshiba Copiers Collegiate Championship in Little Rock, Arkansas. Senior Alex Armstrong was the top Tech finisher with a 74-74=148 which placed in a tie for 17th place.

Leading the Red Raiders this season is senior Philip Tate whose 76.1 scoring average is tops on the squad. On the season Tate owns one top 10 and one top 20 finish. Right behind Tate is sophomore Corey Henegar who has a 76.4 scoring average and one top 20 finish. Sophomore Matt Loving is third on the team with an average of 77.0 and one top 20 finish. Amrstrong's 77.6 average ranks fourth on the team.