The No. 21 MSU men's golf team hopes to conclude its regular season the way it started it - on a winning note.

MSU head coach Mark Hankins credits much of the team's success to his five starters.

Seniors Jimmy Chestnut, Andrew Ruthkoski, sophomores Mitch Pierce and Matt Harmon and freshman Ryan Brehm are the Spartans' starters that have been able to come through shooting low numbers this season, Hankins said.

"I think in the past we've had two, three, maybe four guys, but we actually have all five guys that can really shoot a good number and when you have that it really makes you a dangerous team," he said.

"I don't think anyone really saw it in the Big Ten."

After a getting off to a fast start when the season began in September, the Spartans will host the Fossum/TaylorMade Invitational on Saturday, before heading off to Wisconsin for the Big Ten Championships the following week and closing the season with nationals.

The Spartans were set to play last week but Mother Nature had other plans, and the tournament was canceled.

Although MSU hasn't played a tournament match since the weekend of April 16, the players said they will be ready to play.

"If you can't get pumped up for this one, you're probably doing the wrong thing," Chestnut said.

Hankins said the recent weather has troubled the team slightly in its preparations for the weekend matchup but that experience and mentality should aid the Spartans.

"You just rely on these guys to be mentally strong and to show up when the shotgun starts on Saturday morning," he said.

"They're a confident bunch of guys individually and team wise."

One player who has shone on the golf course throughout his tenure at MSU has been Ruthkoski.

Ruthkoski has finished in the top 20 in seven tournaments this year and stands with the second best season scoring average in program history, where he tops the Spartans with a 72.74 average.

"I've always played to try and be the best," he said. "Over the four years, I've been able to work hard enough and play well enough to come out on top."

The Fossum/TaylorMade Invitational will consist of three rounds of play, with the first two set to be completed Saturday and the concluding round to take place on Sunday.