Hoosiers struggle despite efforts of Davidson, Peters

Two IU players finished in the top ten at the Emerald Coast Collegiate at Tiger Point Golf & Country Club in Pensacola, Fla. However, the individual efforts of junior Ben Davidson and freshman Heath Peters were not enough to prevent IU from finishing seventh in the 11-team tournament.\nAs a team, IU carded a total score of 619 (314-305) in the tournament. Illinois, the only other Big Ten foe in the tournament, scored a 604 to finish in second place. Host and defending NCAA Division II champion West Florida easily won the Emerald Coast Collegiate with a mark of 593.\nDavidson finished the tournament tied for fifth-place, the best showing of his career. Davidson's two-round score of 148 (73-75) tied his career low mark, set at The Tillinghast last October. Davidson finished tied for 17th at the Tillinghast.\nStill, Davidson believes that there is room for improvement.\n"I made a few mistakes on the back nine -- I hadn't been in that position (near the lead) for a while," Davidson said. "It will give me experience for next time, though." \nPeters also had a career tourney, finishing tied for seventh place with a 150 (74-76). Peters' finish marks the first time he has even placed in the top 30 in a multi-team field.\n"It's a confidence booster," Peters said.\nThe rest of the Hoosier squad was unable to match the consistency displayed by Davidson and Peters. \nFreshman Jeff Overton was the only other IU player to finish in the top 25. \n"If your top players struggle, you're in trouble," Mayer said.\nOverton overcame a first round score of 82 on Monday and posted a 76 Tuesday, bringing him into a tie for 24th place. Overton's first-round score marked the first time he shot above an 80 in his young career.\nWhile Davidson and Peters chalked up career bests, the normally dependable junior Aldo Jordan put together a career-worst. Jordan opened the tournament with an 86 in the first-round, the worst 18 hole score of his career.\n"Aldo needs to play better for us in order for us to be able to compete," head coach Mike Mayer said.\nJordan was playing in his first tournament since sustaining injuries in an October automobile accident. \nFreshman Rob Ockenfuss also struggled, finishing 13 over par on the last six holes of his round Monday en route to an 85. Ockenfuss shot an 80 Tuesday, finishing the tournament tied for 47th.\nThe Emerald Coast Collegiate had originally been scheduled as a three-round event, but bone-chilling temperatures cancelled Monday's opening round.\n"It's hard to imagine wind chills around 15 degrees in Pensacola, Fla. (The coaches) chose not to put the players into harm," Mayer said.\nThe Hoosiers will not have much time to brood over their performance. The team heads back to Florida today to prepare for the Big Red Classic, an event co-hosted by IU and Ball State in Ocala, Fla.