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WAYZATA, Minn. - The Penn State men's golf team will kick off their 2012-13 season at the eighth annual Gopher Invitational Sept. 9-10 at the Spring Hill Golf Club in Wayzata, Minn. Hosted by the University of Minnesota men's golf program, this par 72, 7,020-yard course will welcome 15 teams from 11 different collegiate conferences.
The Nittany Lions, who are making their second consecutive appearance at the Gopher Invitational, will face Big Ten competition in the host team, the Minnesota Gophers, as well as the University of Iowa. Among other competition includes six teams making their tournament debut: Arizona State, California, New Mexico, Memphis, Oklahoma, and St. Johns.
Penn State's lineup will include three student-athletes named to the Big Ten Watch List, senior Anthony DeGol (Hollidaysburg, Pa.), sophomore Jens Talbert (Little Rock, Ark.), and senior Jay Woodward (Bridgeport, W. Va.).
In the 2011-12 campaign, DeGol was selected to the All-Region team and upheld a 74.05 average. He competed in 20 rounds and achieved a career low 67. As a freshman, Talbert maintained a 75.38 average with a low of 71 in 16 rounds. Another All-Region team selection, Woodward finished last season with a 75.96 average in 26 rounds.
Joining DeGol, Talbert, and Woodward will be seniors Ernesto Marin (Miami, Fla.) and Matthew Porter (Cortland, N.Y.), junior Shane Stewart (Dublin, Ohio), and sophomores Xander McDonald-Smith (Rockaway Park, N.Y.) and Ryan Worthy (Chester Springs, Pa.). Also joining the Nittany Lions for their first seasons will be JD Dornes (Lancaster, Pa.), Chris Houston (Gilford, N.H.), and Geoff Vartelas (Cromwell, Conn.).
The first and second rounds will be played on Sunday, beginning with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Monday's final round will also begin with a shotgun start at the same time. The event is free and open to the public.