SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. -- In the memory of legendary Tennessee
Tech coach Bobby Nichols, the TTU men's and women's golf teams will
host the first Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate at the Sevierville
(Tenn.) Golf Club, Monday and Tuesday.
Nichols took over the Tennessee Tech men’s golf program in 1979 and was responsible for establishing the Golden Eagle women’s team in 1986. A Hall of Famer for both Tennessee Tech and the Ohio Valley Conference, he lost his battle with cancer in 2008 at the age of 66.
Current head coach Polk Brown played for Nichols from 2001-2006 and was named Tech's head coach in 2011.
"It means a lot to have it named after coach Nichols," Brown said. "He did so many great things for golf here at Tennessee Tech and for the state as well. When I became the coach here, one of the things I wanted to do was have a tournament in his name. It's an honor to do this for the University and for him.
"All tournaments lead toward the conference championship," Brown said. "But the most exciting thing is to have our tournament with both the men and women." Named after Brown's former coach, the Intercollegiate is scheduled to feature nine men's teams and 13 women's teams.
The men's field includes Tech, Detroit Mercy, Eastern Kentucky, Evansville, Newberry, Northern Iowa, Northern Kentucky, Tennessee State, and UT Martin. Play will begin at 8 a.m. each day with 36 holes Monday at the River Course, followed by 18 holes on Tuesday.
The women will play 18 holes beginning at 9 a.m. each day at the 5,802-yard Highlands Course. The women's field features Tech, Austin Peay, Belmont, Eastern Kentucky, Evansville, Lee University, Murray State, Newberry, Northern Iowa, Northern Kentucky, Presbyterian, Southern Illinois, and Tennessee State.
Daily results will be published on TTUSports.com.
