March 6, 2007

Las Vegas, Nev. -- Wake Forest, ranked 19th nationally and highly competitive in every tournament so far in 2006-07, will get a huge test when it plays Friday through Sunday at the Southern Highlands Intercollegiate. The 15-team field includes 11 teams ranked in the top 25, including five teams ranked in the top eight.

The 54-hole event will be played over three days at the par 72, 7,510-yard Southern Highlands Golf Club. Host UNLV won the title last year and Rebel Matt Kinsinger took the individual title.

Wake Forest, despite a third-place finish in its spring opener at the Florida Gator Invitational, will be an underdog. The field includes No. 2-ranked Florida, No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 and defending NCAA champion Oklahoma State, No. 7 Clemson and No. 8 UNLV. Eleven of the 15 teams in the field are ranked in the top 25 and all 15 teams are ranked in the top 41.

The Deacons will send an experienced lineup to Las Vegas. Senior Sean Moore, juniors Webb Simpson and Chris McCartin, sophomore Dustin Groves and freshman Brendan Gielow will represent Wake Forest. Simpson (72.17), Groves (72.67), McCartin (72.89) and Gielow (72.93) all own stroke averages of less than 73. Simpson finished third at the Florida Gator Invitational in February.

Wake Forest has already produced three top-five finishes as a team in 2006-07, but the Deacons are trying to get over the hump and win their first tournament since winning the 2006 NCAA East Regional.