Team seeks solid lineup

The men's golf team is almost one month into its season, and only two of its positions are finalized. \nSenior Steve Wheatcroft is the team's No.1 player and sophomore Aldo Jordan is IU's No. 2 man. While the two are mainstays in the lineup, four different Hoosiers have filled the third through fifth spots in the team's first three spring tournaments.\nWhen the Hoosiers compete in the 54-hole Marshall Invitational in Huntington, W. Va., Saturday and Sunday, freshman Kirk Wood and sophomore Ben Davidson will be the seventh and eighth players to join IU's lineup in four tournaments.\nWood, Davidson and junior Rich Thomas survived a weekend qualifier to earn the remaining three spots in the lineup. Thomas will be competing in his fourth spring event, while Wood and Davidson are playing in their first tournament since the fall season. \nWood and Davidson bumped freshman Mike Castleforte and sophomore Mike Miller from the lineup. Castleforte had competed in every spring tournament before he failed to qualify for the Marshall Invitational. Miller competed in two consecutive tournaments before he was replaced.\n"At this time of the year, we would hope to have our three and four positions pretty much established," coach Mike Mayer said. "But there's a good and a bad to it. It's bad because our lineup isn't established, but the good is that there is enough people that aren't in the lineup who have the kind of talent to deserve a chance." \nDavidson had a chance to compete in the 20-team Marshall Invitational. Mayer said Davidson has the "most physical talent" of anybody on the team. Wheatcroft, who leads the team with a 72.5 average, also said Davidson is probably IU's most talented golfer.\n"I love watching Ben play," Wheatcroft said. "He can excite a lot of people when he plays. He's an explosive player. I'm looking forward to seeing how he plays this weekend."\nDavidson competed in one tournament in the fall, finishing tied for 57th with a three-round total of 233 in September's Wolverine Invitational. Davidson competed in three tournaments last season and his best collegiate round was a 69 in the 2000 Hawkeye Invitational. \n"His overall ability is second to none, and his teammates know that," Mayer said. "I've said it before, and I will say it on the record: This team is not as good as it can be without Ben in the lineup."\nMayer said to fulfill his potential, Davidson must improve his course management skills.\n"Even though he has that talent, he doesn't know where that ball will go," Mayer said.\nThe other newcomer to the Hoosier lineup this weekend is Wood, who competed in three of IU's five fall tournaments. Wood's best collegiate performance was a 19th-place finish in the Wolverine Invitational. Wood competed as an individual in the event and fired rounds of 75, 70 and 79.\n"Kirk's a good player," Wheatcroft said. "He's young, but he's got a lot of talent." \nWood is the third freshman to crack the Hoosiers' lineup this spring, joining Castleforte and freshman Ryan Cassidy. Wood, who is from Spring Hill, Kan., placed third in the 2000 Missouri State High School Championship and was a three-time All-State performer. Wood also led his team to three consecutive 4A Missouri state titles.\n"I'm looking for a breakthrough in college," Wood said. "I've had a successful high school career, and I'm just looking to get an early start on my college career"