STATS/NOTES | SCORING | PAIRINGS | ABOUT CHATTANOOGA GOLF  
 
CHATTANOOGA---The Chattanooga Mocs men's golf team is on a roll. Back-to-back wins for the first time since 2012 will do that for a program. The Mocs captured the Wolfpack Invitational and Furman Intercollegiate in a 9-day period to soar into the final test of the fall semester.
 
This is some long-distance learning. Chattanooga heads west this weekend. When we say west, we mean west to the northern California coast to a little town you may have heard of if you are at least a casual golf fan…Pebble Beach.
 
The Mocs tee off at famed Poppy Hills Golf Club Monday in the Saint Mary's Invitational Monday through Wednesday, Oct. 31-Nov. 2. This week's lineup returns top 10 finishers Paul Conroy, John Houk and Samuel Espinosa while adding sophomore Garrett Engle and true freshman Nick Etherton. Engle and Etherton captured their spots in qualifying events after Furman.
 
"Looking forward to the challenge we have ahead of us up in NorCal this week," Coach Blaine Woodruff shared. "Poppy Hills is a great test that challenges every aspect of your game. In my opinion, if it were anywhere else in the country it would get more notoriety, but it's got some pretty stout neighbors."
 
Espinosa leads the team at 23 under, a 69.58 stroke average, through 12 rounds. His start is the most impressive in school history with four straight top 10s to open a season breaks the record of three held by volunteer assistant Derek Rende '10.
 
Houk is next on the list at 70.25 shots per 18, 15 under. He's 11 under over his last seven rounds (69.86). That's one shot better on the campaign than Paul Conroy at minus-14.
 
There may be no hotter golfer than Conroy. Over his last 72 holes, he shot 268 or 17 under. That run lowered his season number to 70.33 and added a win and top 3 to his resume.
 
Engle and Etherton enter. Engle is 1 over for the season. That's just one shot from four Mocs playing par or better through the fall. There have only been three such seasons in program history – newly inducted UTC Hall of Famer Jonathan Hodge '09 (-9, 2007-08) & the PGA Tour's Stephan Jaeger '12 (-1, 2010-11 & -22, '11-12). Etherton is making his first career start.
 
"Really proud of Nick and Garrett for fighting in qualifying at home and earning their spot on this trip," Woodruff added. "I really like the five we have this week, but the key remains the same, to handle our business and control what we can control. Whatever result that produces, we can hang our hat on that."
 
It's an interesting setup for the event. Tee times start at 8:20 each day, but the location (1st or 10th tee) and time of the Mocs opening 18 is up to chance. There is a pairings draw at the end of Sunday's practice round. A representative from each team draws from a deck of cards to determine position for round one.
 
The second and third as well as fourth and fifth members of the lineup from each team play together in foursomes with an opposing squad. The No. 1 player from the four schools in the nearest pairings play in the odd group.
 
Scoring and pairings are linked above when available.
 
Saint Mary's Invite
Oct. 31-Nov. 2 (Mon-Wed) | Pebble Beach, Calif.
 
Lineup
Samuel Espinosa: 69.58
John Houk: 70.25
Paul Conroy: 70.33
Garrett Engle: 71.67
Nick Etherton: 1st career start
 
Course
Poppy Hills Golf Course | Par 71 | 7,091 yards
 
Field
(58) Chattanooga, (39) BYU, UCSB, (18) Colorado St., (99) Fresno St., (97) Grand Canyon, Loyola Marymount, Nevada, Northern Illinois, Pacific, Sacramento St., Saint Mary's, San Diego, Santa Clara, UTSA & (63) Washington St.
 
History
First entry in the event
 
Live Scoring
Golfstat
 
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