Golf Team Hosts Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational
9/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Sept. 18, 2003
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The Air Force golf team gears up for another season. The team hosts the annual Falcon Invitational (Sept. 19-21). The Falcons finished in 11th place last season, but were tournament champions the year before. With a year of experience under his belt, second-year head coach George Koury expects to be back on top this season.
"I learned a lot in my first year as head coach," Koury said. "But I am not the only one with additional experience. Our young players have a full season under their belts. I expect us to be highly competitive this year and I expect us to perform well at our own tournament."
The Falcons are returning seven varsity letterwinners from last season. Senior Timothy Thoren (Freeport, Ill.) provides team leadership as the captain. He participated in five varsity tournaments last season, including the Falcon Invitational. He finished tied for 40th place, his best finish of the year.
Junior Adam Wasinger (Breckenridge, Colo.) is the most experienced golfer on the team. He has played in all but one varsity tournament in his first two seasons. Last season, he led the team with a 75.1 stroke average over 33 rounds.
Sophomores Stephen Redmond (Ft. Benning, Ga.), J.T. Hamamoto (Hilo, Hawaii) and William Jackson (Monterey, Calif.) all saw varsity action last year as freshmen and will be battling all season for a starting role. Hamamoto, who participated in nine tournaments last year, has the most experience of the trio. He finished in the top 10 of last year's Falcon Invitational. Two freshmen, Tyler Goulding (Tracy, Calif.) and Benjamin Jackman (College Station, Texas) will be asked to make an immediate impact for the team. Both earned starting jobs for the season opener - New Mexico's Tucker Invitational (Sept. 12-13).
There will be a slight change in the annual tournament hosted by the Air Force golf team. The event, set for Sept. 19-21, will named the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational, in honor of the Falcons' former head golf coach.
"Gene Miranda did so much for this golf program," said current head coach George Koury. "He is the backbone of Air Force Academy golf and this is a small way to show the appreciation of the players and coaches whose lives he has so positively impacted during his tenure in the Falcon family."
Miranda was the head coach for 25 years before retiring at the end of the 2002 season. Miranda compiled a record as a head coach of 180-5 (97 percent) back when golf teams participated in dual competition.
When Air Force takes to the course this weekend, they will look to regain the tournament title. They will rely on youth and experience in an effort to bring home the trophy.
