If momentum can carry over from one tournament to the next, themen's golf team will be a handful at the Conference USAchampionships.
In it's final tune-up before the C-USA tourney early next week,the Tigers placed third in a competitive field at the BillyHitchcock Invitational in Opelika, Ala.
The finish was their fourth top 5 effort of the year.
After a poor showing at LSU in their previous tournament, coachGrant Robbins said the strong finish in Alabama would help his teamnext week in the Tournament.
"(Last weekend's performance) should give us confidence that wecan play well," Robbins said.
At the Hitchcock, Memphis played well in a toughenvironment.
The field included Georgia State (ranked 31 in the nation byGolfstat.com), Texas A&M (34), UAB (43) and Auburn (59).Robbins said the 89th ranked Tigers went into the competition witha nothing-to-lose attitude.
"Approaching the entire tournament, we weren't really expectedto do much," Robbins said. "It was a very good field and we playedwithout much pressure."
The Tiger's loose approach benefited them all weekend, as theyfinished third, ahead of seven higher-ranking teams. Memphisfinished six strokes behind first place Auburn and one strokebehind Jacksonville State.
Memphis got a lift from its fourth and fifth starters, which hadbeen a problem area this season.
"Typically, we haven't had consistency from our four and fivespots this year," Robbins said.
In the Hitchcock Invitational, No. 4 Clayton Ellis and No. 5Lewis Clarke helped reverse that trend, as each of them turned intwo solid rounds to help the Tigers to the strong finish.
They were especially important during the first round of play,keeping the Tigers in contention.
"(In the first round) we gave away a couple of shots, but weplayed pretty well without our top two playing well," Robbinssaid.
The team captains, Alan Weant and David Jeans each posted poorfirst round scores of 75 and 77 on Friday, leaving the Tigers ineighth place.
On Saturday, four of Memphis' top five shot under par, vaultingMemphis into second place going into the final day. The team'sSaturday score, a 6-under par 282, was the second lowest of theentire tournament.
In Sunday's final round, the Tigers shot 290, lead by AllanThomas' even par 72.
The Tigers consistent play was evident -- Allan Thomas, Weant,Jeans and Ellis all posted top-35 finishes. Thomas finished inthird place individually with a 4-under par 212.
The same five golfers will represent The U of M in next week'sconference championships.
The tournament will take place in Dade City, Fla., at the LakeJovita Golf & Country Club.
As it stands, it is highly unlikely that the Tigers -- as a teamor individually -- will get into the NCAA field without winningnext week and receiving the conference's automatic bid.
To do so, The U of M will have to defeat TCU (ranked no.13) andUAB (43). So far this season, Memphis has beaten UAB head to head,but they have yet to compete with TCU.
Right now, Robbins would be happy with a solid finish.
"Realistically, I'm looking for a top-3 finish," Robbins said."A top-3 would be a huge improvement (over last season's eighthplace)."
Of course, he would love to win the C-USA crown and sneak intothe NCAA tournament.
"For us to win, (TCU) is going to have to play poorly and we'llhave to play unbelievable," Robbins said, but he added. "Anythingcan happen in college golf. If we play like we did at Auburn, wecan play with anybody."
