By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's golf team will get an early start to the spring portion of its 2017-18 schedule, kicking off a slew of six events with a trip south in mid-February, the team's earliest start to the second semester in the tenure of head coach Polk Brown.
The Golden Eagles will begin the spring with a trip to Savannah, Ga. for The Invitational at Savannah Harbor from Feb. 17-18. Hosted by William & Mary at The Club at Savannah Harbor, the two-day event will take place on a Saturday and Sunday, different from Tech's normal competition days of Monday and Tuesday.
"We've never played in that event," Brown explained, "so we're looking forward to getting started with that one. Hopefully it will be a little warmer down there, but it is certainly an early start for us. There won't be a lot of prep time, so we'll just have to take advantage of any good weather we have and get outside when we can. Otherwise, we'll just be inside working on our short game."
Each of Tech's next three engagements represent some familiarity for many of the players, starting with Appalachian State's Bash at the Beach. Running from Mar. 5-6 at The Surf Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C., the Golden Eagles will return after taking part in the 2015-16 version of the tournament.
"It's always nice to go down there during spring break," Brown said. "It's a big help to go somewhere where we can get some nicer and warmer weather, and we try hard to do that earlier in the spring when we can."
Next up for the purple and gold is an eight-year running tradition, UT Martin's Grover Page Classic at Jackson Country Club in Jackson, Tenn. Taking place from Mar. 12-13, Tech will look to sustain its success over the past four seasons at the event, having placed fourth or better since 2013-14.
As has been the tradition since the inaugural event in 2012-13, the Golden Eagles will play host to the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate in Sevierville, Tenn. at Sevierville Golf Club. The three-day event, which spans Mar. 18-20 on the River Course, was originally conceived as a way to honor former Tech head coach and TTU Sports Hall of Famer Bobby Nichols.
"It's always a great honor and privilege to be able to host a tournament in Coach's name," Brown expressed. "Sevierville Golf Club has been gracious enough to allow us to continue what has become a very important tradition for our program. Coach was such a good man and we miss him deeply. This is such an appropriate way for us to show our respect for him and everything he stood for and built with this program for over 30 years."
For the first time under Coach Brown, the Golden Eagles will participate in Vanderbilt's Mason Rudolph Championship, a three-day tournament beginning April 13. Located at Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn., the event is expected to provide a different look for the Tech squad heading into the OVC Championships one week later.
"Getting the opportunity to go and play in Vanderbilt's event for the first time in a long time is very exciting," Brown explained. "It should be great preparation for our guys for the conference tournament at the end of the April."
Tech will wrap up its regularly scheduled slate with the OVC Championships, Apr. 23-25, in Muscle Shoals, Ala. Once again, the Golden Eagles will compete on the Fighting Joe Course at The Shoals, part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
"Our first five tournaments lead up to conference, which is what we are building towards all year," Brown said. "I know the guys are excited to play a full slate this semester and we're just looking forward to giving ourselves a chance at the end of April.
"The guys did pretty well towards the end of the fall. The main thing will be to try and continue that momentum into the spring. We're looking forward to getting started."
Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
