UTEP Men’s Golf Announces 2018-19 Schedule

EL PASO, Texas – UTEP men’s golf head coach Scott Lieberwirth revealed the 2018-19 schedule on Monday. The Miners will compete in six tournaments during the fall season, with five regular-season tournaments during the spring season and a trio of postseason events.

UTEP will commence the new campaign Sept. 10-11 at the UTSA Lone Star Invitational in San Antonio, Texas, at TPC San Antonio Oaks (Par-72 / 7,435 yards). The Miners will then compete at the Golfweek Conference Challenge (Sept. 16-18) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at The Cedar Rapids Country Club (Par-72 / 6,601 yards).

The third tournament of the fall will be the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate (Sept. 28-29), in Albuquerque, N.M., at The UNM Championship Golf Course (Par-72 / 7,555 yards).

“I think for the fall our strongest event is the [William H.] Tucker up in Albuquerque. It’s the toughest course we’ll play in the fall with the best fields,” Lieberwirth said. “That comes as our third tournament, so we have a couple of tournaments to get ready for that.”

Following the event in Albuquerque, UTEP will play in the Paintbrush Invitational (Oct. 8-9) in Denver, Colo., hosted by the University of Denver at Colorado Golf Club (Par-72 / 7,604 yards) and at the Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate (Oct. 15-16) in Las Cruces, N.M., at NMSU Golf Course (Par-71 / 7,242 yards).

The Miners will compete on a few new courses during the fall season.

“The UTSA tournament, it’s the same event, but it is on a new course. We’ve been to the Cedar Rapids tournament in the past, but not at Cedar Rapids Country Club which I’ve heard a lot of great things about that venue,” Lieberwirth said. “And then we did add the Paintbrush up in Denver, hosted by the University of Denver. Colorado Golf Club is one of the top golf courses the state of Colorado. It’s a fantastic place. It’s hosted a lot of major events and it will be a special event for us.”

UTEP and NM State will co-host the final tournament of the fall season in the Pepsi-Cola Classic (Oct. 20-21) in Las Cruces, N.M., at Red Hawk Golf Course (Par-72 / 7,523 yards).

“We did something a little unusual this year going to six tournaments in the fall – kind of front-loading that a little bit,” Lieberwirth said. “We like to schedule our fall a little bit more attainable to go out and hopefully win a few of those events and get some confidence.”

The Miners will open the spring season at the Arizona Intercollegiate (Jan. 28-29) hosted by the University of Arizona in Tucson at Sewailo Golf Club (Par-72 / 7,283 yards). The remaining four regular-season tournaments include the John Burns Intercollegiate (Feb. 21-23) hosted by the University of Hawai’i in Lihue, Kauai, at Wailua Municipal Golf Course (Par-72 / 6,991 yards). After its trip to Hawai’i, the golf team will return to the state of Arizona to play in a pair of tournaments with the first being at the GCU Invitational (March 15-16) hosted by Grand Canyon University in Phoenix at GCU Golf Course (Par-71 / 7,239 yards), followed by the National Invitational Tournament (March 18-19) hosted by Arizona in Tucson at the OMNI National Golf Course (Par-72 / 7,262 yards). The regular season will wrap up on April 13-14 at the Western Intercollegiate hosted by San Jose State in Santa Cruz, Calif., at Pasatiempo Golf Club (Par-70 / 6,615 yards).

The Miners will play at the GCU Invitational for the first time, while the four other spring events are familiar sites.

“The spring the schedule does get a little tougher with the strength of the schedule, but I think it’s set up for us to go out, if we have a really good fall, which I think we can, we’ll be in position to make a run in the postseason for the spring,” Lieberwirth said.

The postseason includes the Conference USA Championship (April 22-25) in Texarkana, Ark., at Texarkana Country Club (Par-72 / 6,969 yards), the NCAA Regionals May 13-15 (location TBD) and the NCAA Championship (May 24-29) in Fayetteville, Ark., at Blessings Golf Course (Par-72 / 7,527 yards).