Red Raider Open

• PREVIEW
• RECAP/RESULTS

The Event... The Northwestern College men's golf team will make their 2008 season debut this afternoon as they play host to the Red Raider Open. The event will start at 1:00 pm and will be played at Landsmeer Golf Club.

The Tournament Field... 14 teams, mostly from the Great Plains Athletic Conference, will compete in the tournament this afternoon. Northwestern, USF, Briar Cliff, Wayne State and Dordt will all field two teams while Dakota Wesleyan, Morningside, Hastings and Midland Lutheran will also compete.

Red Raider Notes... Northwestern returns five of their top six golfers from a 2007-08 squad that placed ninth in the GPAC Championship. Last year's squad totaled a stroke average of 79.8 and finished in the top three in three tournaments. Junior Luke Vermeer returns after completing one of the finest seasons ever by a Red Raider men's golfer. Vermeer set a school record with a 74.5 average and placed in the top 10 in every meet last season. He earned both the GPAC and regional championship and in the process became just the second NWC men's golfer to qualify for the NAIA national tournament. Vermeer tied for 82nd place out of 143 golfers at nationals. Justin Pannkuk and Jamie Jeltema return for their senior seasons. Pannkuk ranked second on the team with a 79.8 stroke average while Jeltema carried an 86.1 average, fifth best on the team. Jeltema earned NAIA Scholar Athlete honors as well. Juniors Kyle McGranahan and Hans Vander Plaats also return after making significant contributions as sophomores. McGranahan carried an 82.3 stroke average and Vander Plaats carded an 86.6 average last season.

Next up... The Red Raiders will continue with their busy week on Thursday, Sept. 4, at the Buena Vista Invitational in Storm Lake, Iowa.