UTSA alumnus Gibby Martens

Alumnus Gibby Martens qualifies for Valero Texas Open

(Sept. 23, 2003)--As a member of the UTSA golf team, Gibby Martens spent four years putting in practice rounds at La Cantera Golf Club, host to the 2003 Valero Texas Open.

Martens will play La Cantera once again this Thursday, but it won't be a practice round for the UTSA alum. With a 65 at Woodlake Golf Club on Monday, Martens qualified for a spot in the Valero Texas Open for the second consecutive year.

A graduate of the UTSA business school and former three-time all-Southland Conference honoree for the Roadrunners, Martens is set to tee off from the 10th hole at 1:49 p.m., Thursday.

Martens' performance at Woodlake earned him tee times for both Thursday and Friday of the ESPN-televised PGA event. However, if he's going to make it to Saturday, Martens will have to stay under par both days since last year's cut came in at 2-under-par.

Martens will face a tough field in competing for part of the $3.5 million purse as defending champion Loren Roberts returns to the field, along with Sergio Garcia, Tom Lehman and West Texas native Chad Campbell, who ranks ninth on the PGA money list.

After finishing his playing career with the Roadrunners in 2002, Martens spent last year gaining experience on the PGA nationwide tour, the same place Campbell honed his skills before joining the PGA Tour.

Tickets for the event can be purchased through the UTSA Athletics ticket office. All proceeds from Valero Texas Open tickets sold at UTSA will go to UTSA Athletics.

To purchase tickets, call the ticket office at 210-458-UTSA. All single-day tickets are $10 through UTSA, a $5 to $7 discount. MasterCard, Visa and American Express will be accepted on telephone orders.

Fans who can't make it to the tournament can watch the event on ESPN from 3 to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, and 2-5 p.m., Sunday.

For more information, contact Rick Nixon at (210) 458-4551.