By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – For the second time in his three-year career as a member of the Tennessee Tech men's golf team, senior Lee Whitehead captured adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Male Golfer of the Week honors Wednesday afternoon.
The wiley veteran grabbed a share of first place at the Red Wolves Intercollegiate over the weekend, firing a 72-71-69=212 for his best 54-hole score of the year. Whitehead eventually fell to medalist Andri Bjornsson of Nicholls State on the second hole of a playoff, but the work he put in was well received both by his teammates and the league.
A native of Knoxville, Whitehead propelled the Golden Eagles to a third-place showing in a field of 21 at RidgePointe Country Club in Jonesboro, Ark. The senior got better each round of the event on his way to defeating over 100 other participants, shaving a stroke from round one to round two and trimming two more strokes off during his final round.
Whitehead took home All-Tournament honors in Jonesboro as well, the second of the season for the young man. He has now claimed four All-Tournament nods during his career, tying for 13th all time in Tech history.
With one more tournament left before the OVC Championships, Whitehead currently ranks ninth in the league in stroke average with a mark of 72.9. He is on pace to become the first Golden Eagle men's golfer to record a scoring average that low since 2006-07 when PGA Tour pro Scott Stallings wrapped up his historic career at 70.9.
The Golden Eagles will return to the links for 54 holes of action down I-40 Monday, Apr. 13 at the Big Blue Intercollegiate hosted by Tennessee State.
Photo by Rob Schabert