CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- It's back to the tee and in a hurry for the Chattanooga men's golf program. Fresh off a steady three days in South Carolina to start the week, the Mocs are on their way to Augusta, Ga., for the Administaff Augusta State Open. The tournament is Saturday and Sunday (April 4-5) at the Forest Hills Golf Club (Par 72/7,231 yards).
It is the 31st year of the tournament and it boasts a field that includes seven top 50 programs and a top 10 from the DII ranks. There are also several schools just outside the top 50 that are fighting for postseason consideration.
The Mocs are coming off a 10th-place finish at the Hootie at Bulls Bay against a slightly stronger field. Despite not finishing as high up the leaderboard as he would like, UTC Head Coach Mark Guhne saw plenty of positives.
“I think we are right there,” said Guhne. “I really believe this team is ready to break out. “The talent is there and the results are coming...we just need a little extra to get over the hump.”
WHO: Derek Rende. Rende registered his fourth round in the 60s during the second round at the Hootie at Bulls Bay.
WHAT: Administaff Augusta State Invitational
WHEN: Saturday-Sunday, April 4-5 (54 holes ? 36 on Saturday/18 Sunday)
WHERE: Forest Hills Golf Club; Augusta, Ga. ? Par 72, 7,231 yards ? Live Scoring
HOW: Saturday's Pairings for the Mocs: No. 36 Lamar and No. 47 Georgia Southern. It will be a shotgun start with the teams teeing off on Nos. 10-12.
QUOTABLE: “It's a quick turnaround from one tournament to the next this week, but that's good. We are starting to play the way we should be, especially at this time of year. We are getting better each week and now just need to see the fruits of those labors.” ? Mark Guhne
LINEUP (Scoring Avg.): Derek Rende (73.00), Ben Rickett (73.04) , Stephan Jaeger (73.2), Jonathan Hodge (73.6), Fredrik Qvicker (74.9). Individual: Hudson Keener (73.3).
THE FIELD (Golfstat): (42) Augusta State, (20) UCF, Charlotte, (38) Chattanooga, (46) Coastal Carolina, Duke, (47) Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Houston, Kent State, (36) Lamar, Minnesota, North Carolina, USC-Aiken, (12) Tennessee, VCU, Virginia Tech.
