STATS/NOTES |
SCORING |
ABOUT CHATTANOOGA GOLF
CINCINNATI---The Chattanooga Mocs men's golf team is back on the tee Monday looking for win No. 2 at the Bearcat Invitational. The event is hosted by Cincinnati at Coldstream Country Club, a par 71, 7,279-yard tract, is a 2-day, 54-hole affair with an opening 36 on day one.
The Mocs are coming off a season-opening sweep at the Marquette Invitational at Erin Hills. In the most impressive performance by a Southern Conference golfer to date, senior
Samuel Espinosa shot 3-under at the USGA venue earning the squad a sweep of team and individual crowns.
It was the fifth team and third medalist in 14 tournaments under Coach
Blaine Woodruff. The team title was the first season-opening win since 2008-09 capturing the 2008 Aldila Scenic City Invitational with a 45-under total of 819. That opened a SoCon Championship season and final ranking of No. 25 reaching the NCAA Championships at Inverness.
Espinosa's win was a bit more historical. It was his fourth career, but first as a Moc. He won three times at King before transferring in to start on every Woodruff team sheet. The medalist claim was the first to open a season since the 2004 Buffalo Rock/Southern Showdown where Chattanooga native Bryce Ledford shot 208 (72-69-67) for the first of two wins on the year.
Espinosa leads the lineup in the Queen City. Three remain the same with
Braedon Wear,
John Houk and
Garrett Engle staying in the squad while senior
Paul Conroy slots in. Conroy, who won the squad's 2022-23 scoring title, captured the top spot in Bearcat qualifying school by one ahead Engle and Houk. Espinosa and Wear finished fourth and fifth over last week's 54-hole run, but they were already on the list by virtue of top 10s at Marquette where Wear was tied for eighth.
Scoring and pairings are linked above when available.
Bearcat Invitational
Sept. 18-19 (Mon-Tue) | Cincinnati, Ohio
Notes to follow…
- Swept the titles at the Marquette Intercollegiate coming back from double digits to top Cal by three, 36-leader Purdue by four along with Texas A&M.
- Last time playing in Ohio? Famed Firestone CC for the 2016 Firestone Invitational in Akron, a 6th-place finish behind Brooks Thomas' tie for 5th.
- Espinosa is off to a par or better start on all hole types: Par 3 (E), Par 4 (E) & Par 5 (-3).
Lineup
Samuel Espinosa
Braedon Wear
Paul Conroy
Garrett Engle
John Houk
Course
Coldstream C.C. | Par 71 | 7,2729 yards
Field
Chattanooga, Arkansas State, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Florida Gulf Coast, Illinois State, Jacksonville, Louisville, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, UNC Greensboro, Nebraska, Little Rock, Sam Houston State, Southern Miss & Virginia Tech
History
First Entry in the Event
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