PROVO -- The BYU men's golf team continues to climb the national ladder, moving into eighth place in the most recent Golfweek team ranking.
BYU passed No. 9 Wake Forest and finished just 0.01 points shy of No. 7 Auburn as it improved from its previous ninth-place spot.
Senior Greg Machtaler and junior Oscar Alvarez also continue to advance in the national spotlight. Machtaler moved into 16th place while Alvarez jumped into 31st place.
At Cougar's most recent event at the Northwest Shootout in Bandon Dunes, Ore. March 19, the team found itself battling tough golfing conditions, which included rain, wind and cold weather. Because the competition was match play, it will not affect the team's season record or national standing.
According to head coach Bruce Brockbank, although BYU didn't do as well as it anticipated in the event, the team saw the experience as a learning opportunity. It also gave him a chance to see where the team is at mentally and physically in preparation for upcoming tournaments.
The Cougars have another week of preparation before traveling to Austin, Texas to defend their title as the 2004 tournament champions in the Morris Williams Intercollegiate April 4-5.