Golfers prepare for Big Tens

While the rest of their classmates are attending commencement and graduation parties, IU senior golfers Jeff Overton and Heath Peters will be looking to cap off their careers in style at the Big Ten Championships at Wisconsin Friday through Sunday.\nDuring the duo's four years in Bloomington, both earned numerous honors between them. However, the two All-Big Ten golfers head up to Madison, Wis., this weekend searching for one title that has eluded them during their careers -- a Big Ten Championship.\nThe Hoosiers begin the weekend as one of the favorites to take home the hardware and an automatic NCAA Tournament berth which comes with a victory. The parity between the top teams in the conference makes predicting the favorites difficult, Overton said.\n"No team has established itself as the elite team in the Big Ten," Overton said. "As many as five to six teams have a pretty good chance to win if they play well."\nThe past two tournaments the Hoosiers competed in were full of Big Ten competition. During those two weeks, IU showed they can compete with any team in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers placed sixth at the Fossum/TaylorMade Invitational Sunday and fourth at the Boilermaker Invitational April 16.\nFor the Hoosiers to have a shot at winning the title, which would be their first since 1998, senior play will be key. Peters and Overton have been major contributors for IU and have enjoyed success since stepping on campus four years ago. Their talents were on showcase again Sunday as Overton tied for first and Peters had a solid 11th place finish.\n"We got really good play from our seniors this weekend," said IU coach Mike Mayer. "They can carry the load pretty well."\nThe recruiting class of Overton, Peters and Rob Ockenfuss was important for Mayer and the golf program. The recruiting class ranked as the eighth best in the nation by GolfStat.\n"When I came here, the cupboards were bare," Mayer said. "These three guys have really helped us."\nIn their four years, the seniors have done everything to prove they were one of the top classes in the nation. Since arriving on the scene from Evansville four years ago, Overton has been racking up awards. He owns nearly every record in the men's golf record book, including career scoring average and freshman scoring average. Overton has 23 top-five finishes, has been runner-up in eight events and has seven career titles including last weekend at the Fossum/TaylorMade Invitational. \nHe has been named Big Ten Player of the Week nine times, including this week, named All-Big Ten his first three seasons and last season was named Big Ten Player of the Year and PING second team All-America.\nOften overshadowed by Overton's accomplishments, Peters has been successful in his own right. He has the third lowest all-time scoring average and captured his only career championship at the Johnny Owens Invitational his sophomore year in 2003. Peters was named Big Ten Golfer of the Week twice and last season was named second team All-Big Ten.\nFor much of the season, the Hoosiers have been riding the seniors in the team's quest for a Big Ten title. Now that it is tournament time, IU knows it has to be on top of its game to have a shot at the title.\n"Right now it is really wide open," Mayer said. "Minnesota, Purdue, Michigan State and Indiana are probably the four teams to look out for. However, in golf anything can happen"