Men’s Golf Adds Two Signees
11/13/2014 1:30:00 PM | Men's Golf
KENT, Ohio- Kent State men's golf added a pair of players for the 2015-16 season with the signing of Gisli Sveinbergsson (Hafnarfjordur, Iceland) and Bjarki Petursson (Borgarnes, Iceland) to National Letters of Intent, Director of Golf/Head Men's Golf Coach Herb Page announced on Friday.
"Both Gisli and Bjarki are great additions to the Kent State men's golf program and will add tremendous depth to our team," said Page. "These young men have a wealth of experience traveling extensively through Europe representing their Iceland team. Their experience playing at a high international level is just off the charts. They are also highly skilled and very mature young men on and off the course."
Sveinbergsson is currently the top-ranked player in Iceland and is ranked No. 105 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. A member of the Icelandic Men's National Team, Sveinbergsson captured the prestigious Duke of York Trophy held at the historic Aberdeen Golf Club in Scotland in 2014. Sveinbergsson also won Icelandic Junior Stroke Play (68-68), as well as the Eimskipsmotarodin 5 – Icelandic Stroke Play with scores of 68-73-72-71. He also earned impressive third-place finishes at both the Finnish Amateur and the Dutch Open, a professional event. In 2013, Sveinbergsson claimed the European Boys Challenge Trophy held in Slovakia (72-69-70) and also the US Kids European Championship.
"Gisli made a meteoric rise in the world amateur rankings to be the No. 1 player in Iceland right now," said Page. It's just phenomenal what he did this past summer. He was moved from playing on the Junior National team to be the No. 1 player on the Men's National team. He even capped off the summer with a phenomenal victory at the Duke of York."
"His all-around game is very good," added Page on Sveinbergsson. "He has great hands and a great feel for the game. I was just really impressed with his course management and how he flighted his golf ball. He should come in and have an immediate impact on the program."
Petursson, currently the third ranked golfer in Iceland, ranks No. 261 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. Petursson has represented the Iceland National Team U15, U18, and National Men's Team, and is also a six-time Icelandic Match/Stroke Play champion in various age groups. In 2014, Peturrsson represented Iceland (along with future teammate Sveinbergsson) at the prestigious European Amateur Team Championship in Finland, placed third in Skandia Junior Open and fourth in the Icelandic Stroke Play (72-72-66-75=285).
"Bjarki is fundamentally very sound," said Page. "Everything about him, from his pre-shot routine to how he manages the game is just top shelf. He's got good speed, athleticism, and is very mature. The improvements he has made from when we saw him originally to where he is now has just been phenomenal."
The men's golf team begins the spring season at the Louisiana Classics March 2-3 at Oakbourne Country Club.
