USC men’s golf looks to build on recent success


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The USC men’s golf team looks to keep up its forward progress in Alpharetta, Ga., at the United States Collegiate Championship this weekend. After a rough 15th place finish in its first tournament, and a rally for fifth in its next, USC looks to continue its upward swing and make an impact.

The consistent leader for the Trojans thus far has been sophomore T.J Vogel. Last week at the Jack Nicklaus Invitational in Columbus, Ohio, Vogel hit for an impressive fourth-place overall finish. Despite a hip injury early in the first tournament that kept him out of individual scoring, Vogel came back to shoot for stellar scores for the team in the second and third rounds. Vogel has been a consistent contributor since his fall 2009 debut, hitting 75 or better in 12 of his 17 rounds with the Trojans — four of which have come this season.

Also competing for the Trojans this weekend is freshman standout Jeffery Kang. Kang also tied for fourth last week, building upon a rough first tournament. Kang has been performing well in practice and is already well on track for an impressive freshman season.

Junior veteran Steve Lim is playing for the second time this season. Lim had three tough rounds last week, finishing at 39th overall in a performance that is off the mark from his usual dominance. Lim missed the first tournament of the season because of a family conflict.

In his freshman and sophomore years, Lim played impressively. He played in four events his sophomore year, one of which saw him hit USC’s season-best score. In his freshman year, Lim played in nine events and finished in the top 20 four times. Lim is the oldest player for the Trojans this weekend, and a return to form would almost surely mean success for the team.
Sophomore Sam Smith is playing again this weekend, after missing the Jack Nicklaus invite following a tough season debut. Smith was a contributor right from the start of his freshman year, playing in four events and posting some of the lowest scores for the team.

Freshman Ramsey Sahyoun makes his USC debut.

The action takes place Sunday through Tuesday at The Golf Club of Georgia’s Lakeside course. The Trojans face a tough field — five of the teams they face have already beaten them, and only one of the teams USC beat last week returns. Based on their recent improvement and stellar roster, USC looks to place well.