First Look
The Chattanooga Mocs men's golf team is back in action this weekend at the Gators Invitational. The squad's delayed start to the semester makes this trip even more welcome. There are 18 teams invading Mark Bostick Golf Course in Gainesville, Fla., looking to challenge the host Florida Gators. It's a 2-day, 54-hole event starting Saturday and ending Sunday.
 
Quotable
"The guys are just really excited to compete again. We were all pretty bummed when Briar's Creek was cancelled. The guys are hungry to get back out there." – Coach Blaine Woodruff on finally getting back into the season
 
"I feel like we have been very efficient and detailed in what we have done to prepare for this event. Now, it's about managing our expectations, trusting our prep and playing free from the moment that we start on Saturday." – Woodruff
 
Tournament 5: Gators Invitational
Dates: Feb. 14-15 | Format: 36/18 | Host: Southern Miss
Course: Mark Bostick GC | Gainesville, Fla. | Par 70 | 6,701 yds
Field: Chattanooga, (2) Auburn, UCF, (20) Charlotte, FAU, FGCU, (10) Florida, Furman, Georgia Southern, Indiana, Jacksonville, Liberty, (21) UNF, Notre Dame, (12) Oklahoma State, Penn State, USF & West Virginia
Live Scoring: Clippd
 
Lineup

1. Camden Braidech, Jr., 74.78
2. Evan Rogers, Fr., 74.42
3. Griffin Law, Fr., 74.33
4. Ethan Whitaker, So., 73.44
5. Thad Whitfield, So., 77.50

 
Tee Times
Saturday: 7:20 a.m. (Modified Shotgun Start)
Sunday: 7:20 a.m. (Modified Shotgun Start)
 
Mocs at the Gators Invitational
Year: Team Scores | Top Individual
2009: 8th, 280-288-283=851 | T4, Derek Rende, 69-68-69=206
2010: 3rd, 282-289-298=869 | T13, Derek Rende, 68-74-73=215
 
Notes

• This weekend's lineup matches the season opening at UT which shot a season-low 858. There were three different lineups in between.
• Rogers has the Mocs best finish on the season. He tied for 5th at the season-opening Visit Knoxville Collegiate firing 4-under 206 (65-72-69).
• Braidech is one of 11 Mocs with multiple wins (2). His next win is No. 3 which would make him the fourth with three or more and first since PGA Tour winner Stephan Jaeger (2009-12) who recorded a record four.
• Whitaker has one win of his own. He's looking to become the 12th multi-winner in school history.
• Whitfield qualified for and competed in the Jones Cup in January.
• Third trip to the Gators Invite. Strong finishes in the prior two averaging 286.67 strokes per round led by Derek Rende '10 who was 1 over for his 108 holes (70.2 average).
• Sophomore Ward Harris had a solid start to his spring. He was one of four Mocs to play in the Sharkey Individual at Georgia Southern. Harris finished sixth shooting even-par 216. Harris is 5 under in his last seven Mocs rounds.
• Top winter break finishes:
  St Augustine Am: T4, Harris, 70-71-69=210

Port City Am: T2, Harris, 69-62-75=216

• This is the 49th year of the event which is the sixth longest-running DI golf tournament. Strong field features five top 25 teams.
• The group includes the last three NCAA Champions and three teams that won regionals a season ago.
• Individually there are 21 top 200 players per the World Amateur Golf Rankings: 3 top 5, 4 top 10, 8 top 50 and 15 top 100.

 
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