Air Force hosts Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational, Sept. 21-23

THIS WEEK: The Air Force golf team hosts the 55^th Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational, Saturday-Monday, Sept. 21-23, at the Academy's Eisenhower Golf Course. This is a two-part event with the team competition being played on the Blue Course and the individual event on the Silver Course. Golfers will play 18 holes each day. The 22-team, 54-hole tournament, begins at 8:30 am MT on Saturday, Sept. 21. Live scoring will be available HERE.

THE FIELD: Along with Air Force, the 22-team field includes Colorado State, CSU Northridge, Denver, Gonzaga, Holy Cross, Incarnate Word, Missouri State, Northern Colorado, San Jose State, SIU-Edwardsville, Southern Utah, Tarleton State, UC Davis, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, Utah State, Utah Tech, Weber State, Wofford, Wyoming.

ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT: The Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational is in its 55th season. Formerly known as the Rocky Mountain Invitational and the Pikes Peak Invitational, the event was re-named the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational in 2003 to honor the legendary coach who headed up the Air Force program for 25 years and is a member of the Air Force Athletics' Hall of Fame.

EISENHOWER BLUE COURSE: The Blue Course of the Eisenhower Golf Club opened in the 1959 and is named after former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who took part in the dedication ceremony. The 7,541 yard, par 72 course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and was ranked as the third best military course in the nation (PGA.com) and the 24th best college course (Golf Week) in the country. The Silver Course, designed by an excellent Colorado architect, Frank Hummel, is the newer of the two Eisenhower courses. It is shorter than the Blue Course, but makes up for its lack of length with fast, tricky greens, narrow fairways and many hazards. It is built in a beautiful setting, with many spectacular mountain views and a view of the cadet chapel. The course, a par 72 with no out-of-bounds, requires more accuracy than length off the tee.

LAST SEASON AT THE GMFI: Colorado State won the team title for the second straight year with a score of 851 (-13). Wyoming was second at 862 with UC Davis and Valparaiso tying for third at 864 (even). Air Force placed 23rd at 904. Alvaro Fonseca was the top Falcon over the 54-hole tournament with a 220. Cameron Kahle shot 224, followed by Eli Huntington (231). CSU's Christoph Bleier and Valparaiso's Caleb VanArragon each shot 203 (-13), with VanArragon winning on the first playoff hole. In the individual event on the Silver Course, Alejandro Nava from UC Davis, Louis Pilod from Cal Poly and T.J. Shehee from Northern Colorado all tied at 206 (-10). Shehee won the individual title on the second playoff hole.

LAST WEEK: Sophomore Eli Huntington led the Air Force golf team at the third annual Folds of Honor Collegiate, Sept. 9-11, at the American Dunes Golf Course in Grand Haven, Mich. On the final day, Huntington shot a 75 (+4) and was the top Falcon over the 54-hole event, shooting a 228. Senior Cameron Kahle also shot a 75 (+4) on the final day and shot a 231, followed by Ted Davenport (237), Eric Liveringhouse (238) and Carson Baker (238). Alabama, ranked 16^th in the nation, won the tournament with an 840, followed by ninth-ranked Illinois (847) and eighth-ranked Texas (855). The field included three teams in the top 10 and six in the top 25. Air Force placed 15^th with a 929.

UP NEXT: Following the GMFI, Air Force will compete in the annual Mark Simpson Invitational, hosted by the University of Colorado, Sept. 30-Oct. 1, at the Colorado National Golf Course in Erie, Colo.

Air Force hosts Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational, Sept. 21-23

Players Mentioned

Carson Baker

Ted Davenport

Alvaro Fonseca

Eli Huntington

Cameron Kahle

Eric Liveringhouse

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