Hoosiers look to capitalize on host-team advantage

Having not played since Sept. 26, the IU men's golf team is rested and looking for a big performance when they host their first event of the season. \nPrior to their previous event, the VCU/Mattaponi Springs Shootout, IU coach Mike Mayer said he hoped to see improvement from the fall's first two events. The Hoosiers responded, finishing fourth and notching their first top-five finish of the season. Now IU will seek continued improvement as the program hosts this weekend's Wolf Run Intercollegiate in Zionsville, Ind.\nMayer said hosting a tournament has many advantages. Along with choosing which teams to invite, Mayer will be in control of areas such as tee times, pairings and even when teams need to set their lineups. However, being just north of Indianapolis, Wolf Run is not a familiar golf course for the Hoosiers. \n"It's not a place we go to all the time," he said. "It's not like it's our home golf course." \nOne Hoosier familiar with the course is senior Tad Sacheck, a Zionsville native and Wolf Run member. Sacheck will compete this weekend in his first event since his freshman year playing either in freshman Alex Martin's spot in the lineup or as an individual. \nWolf Run will mark the first in-state competition for IU since the team's win at the Boilermaker Invitational in April. The team took advantage of the proximity earlier this by spending a few days getting familiar with the course. "It's always good to see a golf course a couple times before (the other teams competing)," sophomore Santiago Quirarte said. "It's an advantage because (Wolf Run) is a tricky golf course." \nBy spending less time traveling than they do for most events, Quirarte said the Hoosiers will enter this weekend with more energy, which can only help their game. However, IU faces a tough task if it hopes to leave Wolf Run as tournament champion. The University of Louisville is perhaps the team's most notable opponent this weekend. The Cardinals have played in three events this fall and have finished first in all of them. In their most recent tournament, which ended Tuesday, all five Cardinal golfers finished in the top 20. \nThe Hoosiers have a streak of their own, though. \nSophomore Jorge Campillo has finished in the top five in each of IU's three fall events, but both Mayer and Campillo expect more from last season's Big Ten freshman of the year. \n"I will try to win this tournament," Campillo said. "I can play better than I played in these last three tournaments." \nMayer expects Campillo's streak to continue but said even if it doesn't, he's confident the rest of his players are talented enough to carry the team. \n"We don't feel like we're a one-dimensional team," he said. "We obviously feel like we have a tremendous asset leading us in Jorge, but we sure don't feel like the only way the team can play well is if he plays well"