March 12, 2006

AIKEN, S.C. - The University of Houston golf team will look for its fourth consecutive win to open the 2006 spring season Monday when they compete at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate.

The Cougars join a competitive field on the 6,380-yard, par-71 course at Palmetto Golf Club, including College of Charleston, East Carolina, Francis Marion, Furman, Iowa State, Maryland, Presbyterian, Rhode Island, Tulane, Virginia Commonwealth and host USC Aiken.

The 54-hole tournament begins with the first 36 holes on Monday. Play will begin with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. (CST) Monday with round two set to begin around11:45 p.m. (CST). The tournament wraps up with the final 18 holes at 7:30 a.m. (CST), Tuesday.

The Cougars enter the tournament on a hot streak, winning each of their first three tournaments to open the spring season. It marked the second straight year that UH won multiple tournaments in a single season but the first time since 1985-86 when that UH squad won the first five tournaments to open the year.

This season, UH already has earned team championships at the Santa Anita/North Texas Classic, their own All-American Intercollegiate and at last week's Louisiana Classics in Lafayette, La.

Junior Pablo Acuna leads the Cougars with a 71.4 scoring average, while Ricky Romano is a close second at 71.8. Romano enjoyed the best tournament of his career at the Louisiana Classics on March 6-7, shooting back-to-back 68s in the first two rounds on the way to a career-best score of 209 and second-place individual finish.

A year ago, the Cougars and USCA overcame USF, the first-day leader, to tie at the end of 54 holes at the Palmetto Intercollegiate. The two teams played two sudden-death playoff holes but could not break the tie due to Houston's travel plans, so each claimed a share of the tournament team championship.

Jordan Irwin earned the first medallist honors of his career with a score of 1-under-par 212. Romano finished in a tie for third at 216.

This will be the second of four tournaments for the Cougars in the month of March. From here, UH will compete at the Border Olympics in Laredo, Texas, on March 17-18.