University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Set to Compete in SEC Golf Championships This Weekend
April 18, 2002 | Men's Golf
April 18, 2002
The Tennessee men's golf team will be competing in the 2002 Southeastern Conference Championships April 19-21 at Sea Island, Ga. The tournament will be played at The Seaside Course (par 70, 6,885 yards) for the second consecutive year.
The sixth-ranked Vols will enter the tournament coming off their third tournament championship of the season after claiming the Cleveland Golf/Augusta State Invitational April 6-7 with scores of 283-272-286--841 (23-under par). The Vols' score at Augusta set a tournament record for lowest team score.
"We are anxious to get down there and get started," said Tennessee head coach Jim Kelson. "We are coming off a big win at Augusta State this past weekend and we are looking to build upon our recent successes. This tournament is always a real tight race and I see it being no different this year. The Seaside Course is a great course, and that as a venue could not be any finer for golf."
Leading the Vols at the Augusta Invitational was freshman David Skinns, who became UT's first individual champion since the spring of 1999. Skinns fired scores of 66-67-70-203 to set a tournament record for the lowest individual score.
This weekend's SEC Tournament will feature four teams ranked in Golfweek's Top 25, including No. 4 Florida, Tennessee (5), Auburn (12) and Georgia (15).
Skinns, who has a stroke average of 71.13, will lead the Vols into this year's SEC Tournament. He will be joined by fellow freshman Ross McGowan (71.89), juniors Andrew Pratt (72.96) and Ian Parnaby (73.26) and senior Andrew Pratt (73.07).
The Vols have won two SEC Tournament titles-- in 1980 and 1990. Three Vols have claimed top individual medalist. Bert Greene first did it for the Vols in 1964, then Mickey Mabry in 1972 and Mike Sposa in 1990.
In last year's tournament, the Vols fired scores of 289-292-298--879 to finish in sixth place. Georgia captured its second consecutive SEC title in 2001 with scores of 275-284-282--841. The Bulldogs' Bryant Odom captured the individual title.
"We need to approach this tournament like we have all the others," said Kelson "It is important to keep the same mindset going into the SECs. We have a competitive group of guys who want to perform well. They need to come in relaxed and ready to compete."
