The CSU Bakersfield men's golf team will open up the spring portion of the 2012 season, its first as a member of the American Sky Conference, on Monday and Tuesday at the Southern Utah University's Eighth Annual Pat Hicks Thunderbird Invitational.

The 36-hole tournament, which will be held at Sunbrook Golf Course in St. George, Utah, will be split into 18-hole rounds with one on Monday and the final following on Tuesday.

Fourteen teams will be teeing off in the tournament including Boise State, CSUB, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, College of Charleston, Dixie State, Oral Roberts, Seattle, Utah State, Utah, Utah Valley, Weber State, Western Illinois and the host Thunderbirds. Like CSUB, Seattle, Utah Valley and Weber State are in the American Sky Conference.

"We are looking forward to this event at Southern Utah because we have never been to this tournament before," said CSUB head golf coach Dave Barber. "It is my understanding that they will be joining the American Sky Conference next year so we are looking forward to playing a future conference opponent."

After playing in three tournaments in the fall, the men's golf team will resume play at the Pat Hicks Invite, the first of six tournaments this spring. The 'Runners will conclude the season with the American Sky Conference Championship at Lake of Isles at the Foxwoods Resort in Stonington Conn., April 30-May 2 where they will play for the conference's automatic qualifying spot in the NCAA Tournament.

After a successful fall season, Chase Goodvin (So., Bakersfield, Calif., Frontier HS) looks to lead the 'Runners again this fall. Goodvin recorded an average score of 74 strokes per round in the fall.

~www.GoRunners.com~