The Kent State men’s golf team will attempt to defend its Mid-American Conference Championship this weekend at the Medallion Club in Columbus.

The 72-hole tournament starts with 36 holes tomorrow and concludes with 18 holes on Friday and Saturday.

The team has not played in a tournament since April 14, finishing 10th out 15 teams at the Courtyard by Marriott Invitational in Raleigh, N.C.

The 10th-place finish was an example of the teams streaky play this season.

“The whole year we’ve had pockets of greatness and stretches where we’ve struggled,” golf coach Herb Page said. “Those stretches have lasted as long as between rounds and sometimes between three or four holes.”

The Flashes have won the last two MAC Championships and 12 of the last 15, but the past success has no relationship to this year’s tournament.

“It’s a new year with new players,” Page said. “Everyone starts even at 8 a.m. Thursday.”

In order to win, the team must reduce its amount of unforced errors and remain competitive for four rounds.

“It’s a simple plan: Go out and beat people,” he said. “The bottom line is to go out and execute our game and play to our potential.”

Akron, Page said, is the favorite going into the tournament. The Zips are 30-3 this season against MAC opponents, 1-0 against the Golden Flashes.

“Akron beat everybody this year,” Page said. “They’re head and shoulders above the rest right now.”

But Page knows what his team is capable of, and he expects to see it this weekend.

“We’re going in fully expecting to win,” he said. “If we play up to our potential, someone will have to play really well to beat us.”

Contact golf reporter Jeff Russ at [email protected].