Ferguson: Oregon could be the coast’s best
By CARL STEWARD
Of the Emerald
"I think we could be the
strongest team on the coast.”
No. it wasn't Dick Harter talking.
It was Jim Ferguson. You know,
the golf coach. Yes. Oregon still
has a golf program. Yes, they
have money, too. No it isn't illegal.
When the athletic department
nixed virtually all financial support
to golf last spring, it didn't stop
Ferguson from raising his own
funds. He did, even though he
doesn't exactly relish the idea,
and the result is the golf program
will change very little from years
past.
The only major change is that
the team just may be a whole lot
better.
‘ We were 15th in the nation last
year and we re stronger," Fergu
son said. “We have a better at
titude. and we re a mature team.
I'm really optimistic.”
Led by two-time All-American
Peter Jacobsen, the Duck golf
ers have been blessed with good
practice weather, and in turn,
competive. low scores. The com
petition is so intense, in fact, that
Ferguson has opted to redshirt a
three-year letterman—senior Dick
Shafer—and go with youth.
The first regularly-scheduled
tournament for the team is the
Pacific Coast Invitational in Santa
Barbara March 25-26. Ferguson
says the competition is so even
that any one of the 10 men cur
rently on the varsity roster could
make the trip.
"And we could have some
players on our junior varsity who
could make some moves later in
the year," he said.
Of course, everything revolves
around Jacobsen. The Portland
native's accomplishments are too
lengthy to list here, but they in
clude: Pac-8 individual medalist in
1974, runner-up in 1975, Oregon
State High School champion and
U S. Amateur qualifier in 1974 and
1975. He plays in many tourna
ments the year-round and is re
garded as a top prospect for the
pro tour. He had three tournament
championships on the collegiate
level last year alone.
But it isn't just Jacobsen and a
sharp decline. Close behind is
sophomore Jeff Sanders, also of
Portland; Ted Mills, a junior from
Fremont, Calif.; Don Wiggins, a
senior from Portland; Scott Tuttle,
a sophomore from Danville, Calif,
and Steve Prugh, a senio' from
Spokane.
All five of these saw considera
ble varsity action last year with the
only real loss being David Jacob
sen, Peter's brother and the No 2
man on last year's squad.
Others considered to play a fac
tor are Brent Murray, a sopho
more from Portland and John
Pennington, a junior from Sheldon
High in Eugene.
And then comes the newcomer,
John Heselwood Heselwood, the
only freshman on the roster, was
the 1974 Washington State High
School champion and also the
1975 Pacific Northwest Junior
Champion Currently, he ranks
fourth on Ferguson s personal
chart of individual progress and
could prove to be a major addition
"I felt one freshman was all we
really needed," said Ferguson
meaning the only freshman he
deemed necessary to allot a pre
cious scholarship "Heselwood is
a very good player, and he was
recruited by quite a few schools
The majority of this year s fund
raising will go into the team s trips
Feeling that competing in major
collegiate tournaments is a prim
ary ingredient in maintaining the
quality of the program the team
will continue to play in the best
The Ducks will play as a team in
the All-America tourney at Hous
ton then the following week com
pete in the Cougar Classic at
Provo. Utah Finally, the teams
moves on to the SunDevil Invita
tional in Phoenix All three rate as
a group of the best tournaments
for collegiate players in the nation
At Houston, we II probably
meet seven of the top 10 teams in
the nation, Ferguson gleamed,
"including Wake Forest, which is
head and shoulders over every
body else as No 1.
Still pending is the re-cohesion
of the Pacific-8 meet which was
dissolved last spring despite ob
jections from the league s
coaches As it stands now there
will be separate Northern and
Southern Division playoffs, the
Northern to be held m Seattle May
10-11 But Ferguson says that the
tournament, which was held here
last season, will be resumed if the
coaches get a say at the next
league meeting
There s really no rationale be
hind it, he said Golf is one of the
cheapest sp.Kts for travel be
cause you only have five guys
They say they are trying to save
money, but how much are they
really saving?
Regardless of what happens,
the Ducks, overwhelming favo
rites for the Northern Division,
could also be tops among the rest
of the league in terms of talent and
experience
The team will wind up at the
NCAA meet undoubtedly, to be
held in Albuquerque, N M . June
9-12.
Chances are the Ducks will im
prove on last year s performance
and Ferguson can return in his
best Frank Sinatra impression
and say without malice. I did it my
way.'
get into the swim --
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