St. John's University Athletics
2003-04 Men's Golf Outlook
11/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
The 2003-04 St. John's men's golf has totally different look to it than last year. Alum Andrew Svoboda, arguable the greatest player in Red Storm history, has graduated and the Red Storm is led by a group of young talent. Throughout most of the fall season St. John's had three golfers in the lineup with no collegiate experience on their resume and two more that are in their second season of competition. The team had it highs and lows throughout he fall but head Coach Frank Darby is positive that his young team will improve and get better as the season progresses.
After a hurricane delayed the opening of the 2003 fall season, the Red Storm opened up in their back yard hosting the McLaughlin at the Red Course in Bethpage State Park. Bethpage is home the famed black course that hosted the 2002 U.S. Open and is scheduled to host the Open again in 2012. The Red Storm finished 10th and were led by John Stoltz's tie for 34th at 10-over par 220. Joe Yastrub, playing as an individual, tied for 26th at eight-over par 218. Next up for St. John's was a trip south to the Cardinal Classic hosted by future BIG EAST member Louisville. Playing against national competition, the Red Storm finished 14th. Yastrub, playing in his first event for the team, tied for 26th at nine-over par 225. After an eighth place finish at the Temple Classic and a ninth place finish at the Macdonald Cup the Red Storm returned home to the host the Tillinghast at Fenway G.C. in Scarsdale, N.Y. In the first round of the Tillinghast, St. John's posted the teams' top round of the fall, jumping out to a five stroke lead heading into the final round. Ian Middleton shot an opening round one-over par 71, taming the fast greens and strong winds that produced double digit over par scores all day. Yastrub was tied for fifth after a two-over par 72, while Stoltz gave the Red Storm three golfers in the top-120 at three-over par 73, tied for eighth. The team could not make the lead stick and finished with its best finish of the fall in sixth place. Stroltz posted his first top-10 finish of his career, tying for seventh at nine-over par 149. For the 2003 fall season, Stoltz had one top-10 finish and two top-20 finishes, while Yastrub added one top-20.
The outlook for th 2000 spring season is bright one as the future of St. John's golf takes shape. Yasrtub, Stoltz, Middleton, and Tom Travalja are a solid group of young golfers that have their best swings ahead of them. The team will play their usually tough spring schedule, including hosting the annual Treasure Coast Classic, and have set their sights onm the 2004 BIG EAST Champiosnhips.