University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Need Hot Start to Offset Cool Temps
October 15, 2009 | Men's Golf
Oct. 15, 2009
Weather could be a factor when the Tennessee golf team returns to action over the weekend at the 12th annual Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate at The Ridges.
The event begins Friday in Jonesborough and forecast temperatures range from the low 50s that first day to perhaps snow showers and highs only in the 30s by Sunday. The average afternoon temperature for upper East Tennessee this time of year is 70 degrees.
UT's third of four fall tournaments has the Vols joining host East Tennessee State and 13 other squads at the Ridges' hilly 7,147-yard layout (par 72). Auburn is the only other SEC member participating.
Head coach Jim Kelson's lineup -- Robin Wingardh, Darren Renwick, Justin Walker, David Holmes and Jay Vandeventer -- is the same one he used last month at the Carpet Capital Collegiate, which Tennessee won by 12 strokes. Garrick Porteous is making his season debut as an individual participant.
The Vols are ranked seventh in this week's Golf World/Nike Golf Division I Coaches' Poll, in addition to polling 13th in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Ratings. Two-thirds of the Ridges' field resides within the Sagarin top-50 -- Oregon State (8th), N.C. State (11th), Kent State (23rd), Auburn (30th), Virginia (31st), North Carolina (38th), Coastal Carolina (41st), Wake Forest (43rd) and Virginia Tech (49th).
Wingardh has been the team's early leader, chalking up top-10 finishes in both tournaments thus far. He was third at the Carpet Capital and ninth at the Windon Memorial earlier this month. The junior's 71.67 stroke average leads the Vols and ranks ninth among SEC golfers.
Wingardh tied for 51st at this tournament as a freshman and tied for 30th last season.
Renwick shared medalist honors at the Carpet Capital, and then followed with a tie for 30th in Chicago. The sophomore's stroke average of 72.50 ranks second on the team and 20th among SEC golfers. Renwick is making his Ridges debut.
Walker's participation in last year's Ridges was one of only two starting assignments for the Middle Tennessee native during 2008-09. This year has been a different story. The sophomore earns his third lineup nod in as many tournaments and already has scored for the Vols in five of his six rounds.
For two tournaments last year, Walker finished with a 79.17 stroke average. This year in the same number of events, he's at 75.17.
Holmes sparkled at the Carpet Capital, firing a Sunday 68 to highlight his sixth-place showing. Then the senior never got untracked at the Windon, finishing among a group in 42nd place for his worst result in nine tournaments dating to February. Holmes is third on the team with a 73.17 stroke average.
Vandeventer returns to home territory ready for his second collegiate event. The Bristol native shot 81-80-69 at the Carpet Capital, displaying early freshmen jitters and then the strokes of brilliance East Tennessee fans saw in his prep days. Vandeventer's UT stroke average entering the weekend is 76.67.
Tennessee begins play Friday at 11 a.m. Eastern time, and live scoring can be found at UTsports.com and Golfstat.com.
Players Mentioned
