FORT MYERS, Fla. – Eleven tournaments over the course of the fall and spring seasons, including hosting the Homewood/Hilton Garden Airport & FGCU Classic at Old Corkscrew Golf Club in Estero, highlight the 2016-17 FGCU men's golf schedule.
 
The schedule is equally divided over both seasons as the team will compete in five regular-season tournaments each in the fall and the spring, with the 11th tournament coming in the form of the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship Apr. 16-18. The fall portion of the campaign concludes on the Eagles' home course, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Old Corkscrew Oct. 24-25.
 
Fans can easily download the complete schedule directly to their smartphone and corresponding calendar on any tablet or device by visiting the schedule online and hitting 'subscribe' on the top-right corner of the page. Fans viewing on a mobile device can subscribe by hitting menu, sports, all schedules and selecting 2016-17 men's golf. Additionally, a PDF document is also attached for fans to save and print the schedule in a user-friendly format.
 
"I'm happy with the setup of our schedule," commented FGCU head coach Eric Booker, who will be entering his third season with the Eagles in 2016-17. "We have some new tournaments in the fall, and it will be nice to return to some events that the guys have played in previously during the spring. We also added a match play event to help them prepare for that setting potentially in the postseason.
 
"Having our home tournament conclude the fall portion of our schedule is a great way for fans, friends and family to come out and support the guys on their home course," continued Booker. "We're certainly looking forward to it and invite the public to cheer on the team."
 
With the exception of its home event, FGCU's fall schedule consists of tournaments it has not played in previously. It commences Sept. 17-18 at the EKU Raising Canes Colonel Classic hosted by Eastern Kentucky at The University Club at Arlington in Richmond, Ky. The 54-hole event – the first tournament EKU has hosted in nearly 10 years – will begin with 36 holes on the first day before concluding with the final round on the second day.
 
The Eagles then head to George Mason's Patriot Intercollegiate Sept. 25-26 for 54 holes at Laurel Hill Golf Club in Lorton, Va. Next up for the Green and Blue is the aforementioned match play tournament – which is used in the NCAA Championship – and will be hosted by FAU in Boca Raton over two days, Oct. 1-2. One week later, the Eagles tee it up in Bowling Green, Ky., at Western Kentucky's Kenny Perry Invitational Oct. 10-11 at The Club at Olde Stone.
 
After a two-week break, FGCU will host the Homewood/Hilton Garden Airport & FGCU Classic at Old Corkscrew for the third time. Last year the Eagles finished 3rd out of 12 schools on one of Southwest Florida's premier tracks. The field will play 36 holes on Monday, Oct. 24, with the final 18 holes to be held on Tuesday, Oct. 25.
 
The spring season tees off for the second-straight year at Stetson's Legacy Intercollegiate Feb. 27-28 at The Legacy Club in Longwood, Fla. Last February in the event's inaugural year, FGCU tied for 5th out of 14 teams.
 
The Fort Lauderdale Intercollegiate is the only spring tournament the Eagles did not tee it up in last year, and will take place Mar. 6-7. A couple weeks later on Mar. 19-20, FGCU returns to Appalachian State's Cape Fear National Intercollegiate at the course with the same namesake in Leland, N.C. The Green and Blue tied for 6th out of 13 schools at the tournament last year.
 
For the eighth-straight year, FGCU will be competing in the FAU Slomin Autism Championship Mar. 24-26 at The Fountains Country Club in Lake Worth, Fla. The Eagles finished 8th out of 18 teams last year. The regular season concludes at the East Carolina Invitational in Greenville, N.C., at Brook Valley Country Club Apr. 3-4. FGCU tied for 2nd at the event last year in a field of 13.
 
That event will serve as the team's final tune-up to the ASUN Championship, which will again be contested over three days at The Legends at Chateau Elan in Braselton, Ga. The Eagles finished 5th last year, and Austin Schultz – now the team's assistant coach – finished runner-up.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For schedule updates, news and information, visit FGCUAthletics.com. For the latest news and behind-the-scenes access to information, photos and videos, follow @FGCU_MGolf on Twitter and @FGCU_MGolf on Instagram.
 
COACH BOOKER
FGCU is led by 3rd-year coach Eric Booker, a member of the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour (formerly the Nationwide Series) for portions of 17 years from 1990-2007. Booker finished in the top 5 three times in tournaments on the PGA Tour and also played in the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. He played in 62 career events on the PGA Tour, with his best finish being a tie for 3rd at the 1999 Honda Classic.
 
HELP THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.