March 28, 2006

TUCSON, Ariz. - Franklin Corpening tied for seventh place individually to propel the TCU men's golf squad to a fourth-place showing among 14 teams at the National Invitational Tournament. The Horned Frogs topped six of the nine nationally ranked schools who were competing in the event, which was held at Omni Tucson National.

With a three-day score of 863 (-1), the Frogs finished behind only fifth-ranked UCLA (850), No. 8 Arizona State (857) and 25th-rated Minnesota (861). TCU's finish was its third top-four placement of the season.

Corpening, a sophomore, registered his third straight under-par round of the tournament with a 71 (-1) to post a career-best 4-under score of 212. For the tourney, Corpening made 12 birdies, including five in the final round. The Fort Worth native's top-10 finish was his second of the season.

Junior Drew Stoltz tied for 16th at the NIT to garner his best finish of the campaign and third career top-20. Stoltz ended the tournament with a 54-hole total of 215 (-1). He was 5-over through the first five holes on Tuesday, but battled back with four birdies to notch a 1-over 73 on the final day.

Freshman Tom Miles, who tied for 28th place, finished among the field's top-35 for the fourth time in five tournaments this year. Miles played steady golf all three days, as he was the lone Horned Frog to post no worse than a bogey over the 54 holes. He played the final round at plus-2 to finish with a 1-over 217.

Senior Drew Laning shared 54th place with a six-over 222 after a 1-over final round of 73. After his second straight 76, freshman Jon McLean tied for 71st position at 227 (+11).

TCU, listed 37th in the most recent GCAA/Bridgestone Coaches Poll, is next in action April 3-4 at the Morris Williams Intercollegiate in Austin, Texas.

Team Scores
1. UCLA 277-285-288=850 (-14); 2. Arizona State 278-286-293=857 (-7); 3. Minnesota 285-292-284=861 (-3); 4. TCU 287-285-291=863 (-1); 5. Southern California 289-292-283=864 (E); 6. Tulsa 288-286-291=865 (+1); 7. Arizona 281-291-295=867 (+3); 8. New Mexico 282-295-293=870 (+6); 9. UNLV 292-292-287=871 (+7); 10. Washington 289-293-290=872 (+8); 11. Kent State 289-294-290=873 (+9); 12. Arkansas 297-286-295=878 (+14); 13. Fresno State 289-297-295=881 (+17); 14. Pepperdine 295-292-297=884 (+20).

TCU Individual Scores
T-7. Franklin Corpening 71-70-71=212 (-4); T-16. Drew Stoltz 69-73-73=215 (-1); T-28. Tom Miles 72-71-74=217 (+1); T-54. Drew Laning 78-71-73=222 (+6); T-71. Jon McLean 75-76-76=227 (+11).