In golf, players can have long, successful careers without ever taking home an individual title.

That's why, when Ben Sieg won the 2006 Big East/MAC Challenge in only his third collegiate golf tournament, he didn't immediately come to grips with what he'd accomplished.

"Winning it as a freshman, I didn't really understand the magnitude of the tournament," Sieg said. "Looking back, it was a pretty big thing. But my game is better now than it was then."

Sieg, who redshirted the 2007-'08 fall and spring seasons, certainly picked up where he left off, firing a hole-in-one in the first round of the fall at the September Gopher Invitational. Although he hasn't come close to notching another individual victory so far this season, Sieg said the time off gave him a chance to fix his shortcomings.

"I was working on some swing things from the middle to the end of last fall, just trying to simplify my golf swing," he said. "Not do too much I guess is the best way to put it. I just got done doing my stats, and I've been averaging about 10 out of 14 fairways, so I'm hitting the ball well off the tee."

Driving off the tee is a critical part of Sieg's game, especially considering he stands at a lofty 6-foot-5. His height, which he compares to that of 6-foot-3 Ernie Els', definitely helps him with the big drives.

"As far as advantages, I can be a lot more powerful in my swing," Sieg said. "There's effortless power in the swing."

According to senior Mike Van Sickle, not only has Sieg's swing improved, but his entire game.

"Being 6-foot-5, he hits it a pretty long way," Van Sickle said. "His height helps him with club head speed, but at the same time it makes for a longer swing and more time for things to go wrong. He's worked extra hard to correct his swing.

"He's starting to get more consistent, especially in the spring tournaments so far. He's much more comfortable with getting a good round and keeping it going."

After two tournament finishes in which they fell short of expectations, the Golden Eagles will try to make up for it Friday where they'll begin the first round of the FAU Spring Break Championship at Gleneagles Country Club in Delray Beach, Fla.

With higher-ranked teams like Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State and Northwestern all competing in the tournament, senior Dustin Schwab said a good finish will give Marquette a big boost gearing up for April's Big East Tournament.

"This one's pretty big, because the field is a little better," Schwab said. "If we can beat some teams ranked ahead of us, it will help us out a lot."

While winning a team title is a better possibility, Sieg knows winning another tournament will be a daunting task. In fact, he doesn't have to search hard to find perhaps his toughest competitor — All-American Van Sickle.

"One thing we always joke about is that if anyone on the team beats Van Sickle, there's a good chance you win the golf tournament," he said. "That's the first test — you beat Mike, you're in good position. But I think anyone on the team is capable of winning."