What better way to spend spring break than on the links? The
Saint Louis University men’s golf team probably could not find a
good answer. Nor would they want to.

On the final weekend of the spring intermission, the SLU golf
squad nabbed the team title at the St. John’s Treasure Coast
Classic.

A score of 293 gave the Bills a five-stroke win for the
three-round tournament, held at Florida’s PGA Country Club.

The competition hosted a number of Big East universities,
including Villanova, the University of Connecticut and St. John’s,
as well as a number of smaller, local south Florida schools. Still,
the south Florida programs are solid in their own right and
competitive enough to hang with the Big East programs.

In a powerful comeback effort, Evan Frederick, playing in his
first tournament since shoulder surgery in October, finished second
overall, shooting 74 in the first round and 73 in the second,
leaving him only one off the overall stroke leader.

“It was just great to be back in competition after being out for
so long, let alone be able to help the team. I’m just happy to be
able to golf again, the success was an added bonus,” Frederick said
of his return.

One may think a second-place finish after returning from
shoulder surgery is a mark of a golfer at the top of his game.
Frederick thinks his game has only began its return to top
form.

“Actually, I still felt a little rusty. Obviously, I haven’t
competed in quite awhile; so, I really feel there’s some room for
improvement down the stretch,” said Frederick.

David Perritt joined in a solid weekend of golf by recording,
along with Frederick’s mark, a score worthy of the SLU golf
program’s all-time top 10.

The sophomore took third by shooting a 74 on both days and
finishing four over par for the tournament.

Perritt’s performance marks yet another in a string of
considerable performances. Earlier in the month, he led the team to
with a 74 at the Tri-State Classic hosted by University of
Tennessee-Martin as well as yet another third-place performance in
West Florida’s Emerald Coast Classic.

Among the other performers in last weekend’s event, junior Tony
Harmon finished 12th, shooting respective 79 and 73 stroke rounds.
Freshman Ryan Blechle competed in his first tournament this spring,
along with sophomore Dusty Federko.

Both golfers improved their scores significantly from the first
round to the second. St. John’s marked a third-best tournament
score in school history for a two-round score, at 602.

“Hopefully, this victory can jump-start us for the rest of the
spring season. I see no reason why we can’t head down to Texas and
win another tournament.” Frederick said.

The Bills’ next tournament comes this weekend, on March 27 when
they will travel to Pottsboro, Texas, to compete in the Pepsi-Cola
Intercollegiate tournament.

Lone Star State Tournament

What: Pepsi-Cola Intercollegiate tournament
When: Saturday, all day
Where: Pottsboro, Tex.