FORT MYERS, Fla. – Head coach Eric Booker and the FGCU men's golf team has finalized its 2017-18 schedule. The campaign tees off next weekend and features 10 regular-season tournaments bridging the fall and spring semesters, including a pair of home events at Old Corkscrew Golf Club in Estero.
 
The schedule is equally divided over both seasons as the team will compete in five regular-season tournaments in the fall and the spring, with the 11th tournament coming in the form of the ASUN Conference Championship Apr. 22-24.
 
The fall portion of the campaign concludes on the Eagles' home course, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Old Corkscrew, Oct. 29-30 for the Homewood/Hilton Garden Airport & FGCU Classic. The spring portion commences on the same track as FGCU will host the inaugural Randy Grimes Memorial Shootout on Feb. 11.
 
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 2017-18 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 full season, and fourth overall, with the Eagles in 2017-18. "We have a good mix of both new and unfamiliar tournaments to prepare us for the ASUN Championship.
 
"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 we invite the public to cheer on the team at that event and also our first-ever Randy Grimes Memorial Shootout in February."
 
The season commences Sept. 10-12 at the Golfweek Conference Challenge in Myrtle Beach, S.C. It will be the first time any current Eagles have competed in the traditionally-strong event which will feature some of the best teams in the nation.
 
Following the final round of that 54-hole tournament on Sept. 12, FGCU will have a quick turnaround as it heads to Richmond, Ky., to tee it up in the EKU Intercollegiate Sept. 16-17. The Green and Blue opened its season at Eastern Kentucky University's event last year.
 
After a week off, the Eagles flock to the Patriot Intercollegiate hosted by George Mason Sept. 25-26. FGCU also competed in the Patriot Intercollegiate last year, tying for 7th out of 19 teams at Laurel Hill Golf Club in Lorton, Va.
 
Following a year hiatus, FGCU returns to the Pinetree Intercollegiate hosted by fellow ASUN member Kennesaw State Oct. 23-24. The Eagles had played in the event at Pinetree Country Club four-straight years until last season. The Green and Blue have finished in the top 10 each year, including a tie for 5th most recently in 2015.
 
The fall schedule concludes with FGCU hosting the Homewood/Hilton Garden Airport & FGCU Classic at Old Corkscrew for the fourth time. Last year the Eagles finished 2nd out of 16 schools on one of Southwest Florida's premier tracks. The field will play 36 holes on Sunday, Oct. 29, with the final 18 holes to be held on Monday, Oct. 30.
 
The spring schedule begins right where the fall ended as the Eagles will host the aforementioned Randy Grimes Memorial Shootout. The smaller field will play 36 holes over the Old Corkscrew track on Sunday, Feb. 11.
 
FGCU returns to the site of a 3rd-place finish a season ago when the Eagles head across Alligator Alley for the Fort Lauderdale Intercollegiate Mar. 5-6, hosted by Loyola (Md.).
 
A new tournament – at least for the Eagles – is on the docket next as they travel up I-75 for the USF Classic in Tampa Mar. 12-13. From there, FGCU will head back to the state's East Coast for the FAU Slomin Championship Mar. 22-24. It will mark the ninth-straight year that FGCU has competed in the tournament.
 
The regular season concludes in California as the team will be making its first trek to the West Coast since the beginning of the 2014-15 season. Loyola Marymount will host the Geiberger Invitational in Palm Springs Apr. 9-10.
 
That event will serve as the final competitive tune-up before the ASUN Championship, which will again be contested over three days at The Legends at Chateau Elan in Braselton, Ga., Apr. 22-24. The Eagles finished in 5th place at the extremely-competitive tournament a season ago as all four teams ahead of FGCU – Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Jacksonville and North Florida – qualified for the NCAA Championship.
 
FGCU finished the 2016-17 season with a 296.06 scoring average – the 8th-best in single-season program history and lowest since 2011-12. The Eagles also secured top-10 single-season program records in birdies (5th, 398), par-4 scoring (6th, 4.22) and par-or-better rounds (T-9th, four). Additionally, Booker guided FGCU to either 2nd- or 3rd-place finishes in four-straight tournaments, marking the first time since the 2011-12 season that the Eagles secured four-straight top-3 showings – and that squad incredibly won four-straight tournaments. The Eagles' 2017-18 roster features three freshmen, three sophomores, three juniors and three seniors.
 
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.