And they're off. This was the result the Deacs were looking for to jump-start their spring season. Leading the charge once again for the Deacs was junior All-American Bill Haas, who captured his first individual victory of the spring and third of the year. Coming off a less-than-stellar fifth place finish last week, the men's golf team showed why they are ranked No. 3 in the country coming away with a one-stroke victory over SMU at the Tulane Invitational.

The tournament fielded nine teams and was played at par-72, 7,078-yard English Turn Golf and Country Club in New Orleans, La. The Deacs mainly battled with SMU all week as the two teams separated themselves from the rest of the pack.

Scoring was high on day one as the Deacs posted scores of 292 (4-over par) and 293 (5-over par) to finish at nine-over par and one stroke off the pace set by SMU.

Though the team might not have been able to separate itself, Haas certainly did. Posting the Deacons' only two sub-70 scores all week, the junior was 7-under par after the first 36 holes after firing rounds of 69 and 68. These scores were pretty remarkable since nobody else in the field was even under par. Haas took a seven-shot lead heading into the final round.

In the final round, Haas wasn't as sharp, shooting a 1-over 73, but the rest of the team was able to pick up the slack as the Deacs posted their best round of the tournament when it counted the most.

Wake Forest used a 1-over-par 289 to make up two shots on the leaders going into the final day and come away with the victory by the slimmest of margins. This marked the first time that Wake Forest has captured three tournaments in a year since the 1995-1996 season. Head Coach Jerry Haas was very pleased with the result even though he felt that his team should have won, since they were the top-ranked team in the event. Haas likened the tournament to a tough road win by the basketball team over an opponent that they are expected to defeat, and he also noted the benefit of playing in last week's Arizona Intercollegiate.

"It definitely made a difference to play last week in the sun," Haas said. "There were only nine teams this week, but still somebody has to win."

For the tournament, the Deacs placed four individuals in the Top 10. Haas secured his third win of the year and fifth of his career by holding off SMU's Nicholas Loar by three shots. The win moved the junior past his uncle and coach on the all-time Wake Forest win leaders, but his main goals are still in front of him. "Bill wants to win the ACC and the NCAA," Haas said. "He certainly has the ability."

Finishing second on the team and seventh overall was senior Chad Wilfong at 4-over par. Wilfong finished strong by posting a much-needed 2-under-par 70 in the final round that was probably the difference between the Deacs winning and losing. The senior's performance was even more impressive because this was his first event of the season after he sat last week's event out.