CSUN men’s golf will begin its 2005-06 season at the Northwest Collegiate Classic in Corvallis, Oregon, Sept. 19 and 20. The team will play the Ted Robinson-created Trysting Tree Golf Course.

The links-style course, which is part of Oregon State University, has wide-open fairways and sizeable greens. “Golf Digest” rated the course as the 9th best public course in the state for 1996.

Head coach Jim Bracken, starting his 19th season, will welcome five new players, three freshmen and two junior college transfers.

“I’m excited, I think we have a good group of guys this year,” Bracken said. Bracken named returning senior Doug Miller as his number one player, Amit Nat number two, and Chris Pederson his number three.

The two junior college transfers are Joe Lopez and Louis Kim. Lopez, the number one player at Mount St. Antonio, won the state junior college championship last year, while Kim played for Rio Hondo, making the team as a walk on.

Freshman Albert Lee played for Fairfax, winning the state championship a few years back, according to the Bracken. This years group that we brought in are real good,” said Bracken who brought the team to Division I play in 1990. “This year we have a lot more depth and our scoring averages are down. Our qualifying score to make the team is night and day.”

The five man traveling roster will compete in the upcoming Classic hosted by Oregon State University, where the Matadors have competed before.

“It’s a good golf course and always a pretty good field,” Bracken said. “They usually have three or four PAC-10 teams along with other teams from our conference, so I am excited.”

After the Matadors return from Oregon the team will be idle until mid October when the group will travel Fresno for the Fresno State Lexus Classic. The Matadors will then travel to Carmel for the SCU Invitational.

In November they will compete in the Bill Cullum/Countrywide Intercollegiate at Wood Ranch Golf Course in Simi Valley.

After winter break the club will prepare for its first trip outside the country (under Bracken), traveling to Guadalajara, Mexico for the Santa Anita North Texas Classic.

“A friend of mine who is the golf coach at the University of North Texas sent me an invitation,” Bracken said. “It will not be a huge expense for the college as most of the meals are paid for. It will be a great experience for them.” Bracken said,

The Matadors look to improve on last season after they finished ninth-place at the Big West Championships at Tijeras Creek Golf Course. Miller received an honorable mention for his play at the tournament.

Malik Lee can be reached at malik.lee@csun.edu.