April 6, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's golf team will host the 2009 Big Ten Championships from May 1-3. The tournament will take place at the newly renovated Penn State Blue Course in University Park, Pa.
The Penn State Blue Course looks to be a challenge for the 11-team field with an additional 600 yards, totaling roughly 7,150 yards of play. 20-plus strategic bunkers were placed in the layout as well as three new water hazards. The Big Ten Conference is well known for the outstanding caliber of its university-owned golf courses and with these updates and improvements, the Penn State Blue Course will sit proudly in that group.
The Blue Course has hosted over 20 Rutherford Invitational, the 1996 Northern Intercollegiate, the 1996 Big Ten Championships and the Pennsylvania High School Championships from 1982-2001.
Penn State last hosted Big Ten's in 1996 when the Ohio State Buckeyes claimed the title. The 2009 championship will likely be one of the most competitive in recent memory with two Big Ten teams in the nation's top 10, No. 6 Illinois and No. 10 Indiana. Michigan State, who remains in the top 40 in the nation, looks to become the first three-peat champion since Northwestern won three consecutive titles from 1999-2001.
The Nittany Lions took first place in their last tournament at the Pinehurst Intercollegiate, on March 15th, topping ranked teams such as No. 34 Michigan State and no. 36 Michigan. With about a month of regular season play left all 11 teams look to gain experience and move up in the rankings in hopes to make the 2009 NCAA tournament.
The Penn State men's golf team is looking to earn its 19th NCAA Regional bid in the last 20 years. Last year the Nittany Lions headed into the Central Region for the first time after 19 bids in the East Region.
Admission is free to the three-day event. There will be bleachers and spectator areas throughout the course offering numerous vantage points of the action.