PEORIA, Ill. -- The Bradley men's golf team opened the 2013-14 with a strong showing at the Derek Dolenc Invitational in Edwardsville, Ill., earlier this week and the Braves look to continue their success at the D.A. Weibring Intercollegiate Sunday and Monday in Normal, Ill.
Bradley opened the season with a fourth-place finish at the Derek Dolenc Invitational, carding the lowest 54-hole team score since October 2006. Junior Seth Trolia (Mahomet, Ill./Seymour) paced the Braves in the season opener, tying for fifth overall with the lowest three-round score of his career (218).
The Weibring Intercollegiate has been a staple on the fall schedule for Bradley, which will be playing in the event for the seventh consecutive year and 10th time in the last 13 seasons. Trolia owns a 75.5 career stroke average at the par-71 Weibring Golf Club in Normal, Ill., carding 72 or better in two of his six career rounds at the course.
The Braves were the top performer among four Missouri Valley Conference schools (Drake, Missouri State and Southern Illinois) at the Derek Dolenc Invitational. In addition to facing off against Missouri State and Southern Illinois at the Weibring Intercollegiate, Bradley will also have a chance to compete against Valley foes Evansville, Loyola, Northern Iowa and tournament-host Illinois State next week. Joining the seven MVC schools in the tournament field will be Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas State, Butler, Oral Roberts, Purdue, SIU Edwardsville and Western Illinois.
Play is scheduled to begin Sunday at 8:30 a.m. at the Weibring Golf Club and feature two rounds. Monday's action will include one round which will tee off at 8:45 a.m. BradleyBraves.com will provide links to live scoring for all three rounds of the event.
Freshman Bobby Jacobs (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso) had an impressive debut, tying for 22nd at the Derek Dolenc Invitational with a three-round score of 224. Jacobs shot a one-under 71 in his first collegiate round.
Junior Danny Masrin (Palatine, Ill./Jakarta International School) was the only Bradley player to improve his score in all three rounds in the season opener and tied for 29th in the first tournament of the year at 226 after carding a third-round 74. Masrin tied for 23rd (225) to lead the Braves at last year's Weibring Intercollegiate.
Bradley will have three weeks off from competition, before returning to action Oct. 7 & 8 at the Butler Fall Invitational in Indianapolis, Ind.
