Team prepares for tournament

Heading into their last tournament of the fall season, the Hoosier men's golf team is looking for a breakthrough performance -- finally. \nThat opportunity will come at the hands of the 17 other teams on Monday and Tuesday at the Xavier Invitational at the Grizzly Tournament Course at the Golf Center at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. The par 71, 6,550-yard PGA and Senior PGA caliber course has hosted tournaments for both associations in the last 30 years. \n"If (the course is) compared to Wisconsin, it's not long, and it's not tree-lined," coach Mike Mayer said. "But it does have holes that demand positioning and accuracy is the key."\nAt Wisconsin, the men finished seventh out of 15 teams, but that was more than a month ago. Sophomore Heath Peters said he expects a better finish at this tournament. \n"It is a good course," Peters said. "I played it a year ago, and I think it sets up well to our team," \nIU is coming off their best finish of the season as they finished fourth at the Wolverine Invitational last week. Now, as they prepare to enter their winter break from competition, the Hoosiers said they want to end their fall season on a winning note. And to do so, Mayer has altered the lineup a bit, in search of a first place finish.\nThe starting five for the tournament will be: sophomores Jeff Overton and Peters; senior Ben Davidson; freshman Scott Seibert; and senior Aldo Jordan.\nThe only change from last weekend was the addition of Jordan, a senior who had not been part of the 5-man rotation for the last two tournaments. Jordan said he has refocused and is ready to bring home a first place finish.\n"I have been working on my game, and I feel myself and this team is ready to win one," Jordan said.\nPeters said Jordan's leadership and seniority will be a welcome addition to the lineup.\n"It always helps to get seniority back in the lineup," Peters said. "And he's pumped to be back,"\nCompeting against the Hoosiers will be: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Georgetown, Iowa, Marshall, Michigan, Ohio, Penn State, Richmond, Saint Joseph's, Western Kentucky, Wright State, and host Xavier. \nMayer said the field is reminiscent of the one the Hoosiers faced at the Wolverine Invitational.\n"The field is similar to Michigan in talent. It is a mixed field with some very good teams," Mayer said. \nIU has seen most of the teams competing in this tournament before, so Mayer said the shock value of seeing new teams should not be a factor. But Mayer added he didn't expect an easy win.\n"The host team Xavier is one of the hottest teams in the country right now, and then there are teams like Eastern Kentucky who can place second at one tournament and second from last at another tournament," Mayer said. "One week a team can play well and the next they can play bad."\nPeters said the Hoosiers will try to focus on avoiding bad rounds and on playing up to their potential. Seibert said if the Hoosiers do that, they will be in prime position for their first win of the year.\n"It seems the first round everyone is not playing up to their capabilities, hopefully this week that won't happen," Seibert said.\nPlay begins at 8:30 a.m. today and Tuesday with a shotgun start.