Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
Scenic City Invitational
Young Blue Raider golfers up to the test
9/11/2006 11:20:00 AM | Men's Golf
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee veteran golf coach Johnny Moore isn't initiating a youth movement within the Blue Raider program; however, he will be putting a youthful collection of players to the test as the fall season opens at the Scenic City Invitational Monday.
Based on last week's qualifying, Middle Tennessee will open the fall with one junior, two sophomores and two freshmen among the top five who will travel.
Junior Nick Bailes leads the charge and shot 20-under-par during qualifying. Sophomores Rick Cochran and Chas Narramore are joined by freshmen Craig Smith and Kent Bulle in the top five.
"I believe their qualifying paralleled their summer tournament efforts," Moore said. "I think what you saw in qualifying was definitely an indication of their summer schedules, better work ethic, and making sure they were as prepared as best they could be for these qualifying rounds.
"While this group is young it is still experienced. We are not going to use the excuse of being young because we have a lot of experience in that youth."
The quintet will be challenged from the outset as the Scenic City Classic, hosted by the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga and played at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, includes a loaded field that includes some of nation's top teams and programs from the top conferences. The field includes Mississippi, LSU, Alabama-Birmingham, Virginia, Southern Miss, Mississippi State, Memphis, Rice, Louisiana Tech, Furman, South Alabama, Chattanooga, and Middle Tennessee, among others.
"Our guys are not in awe of these teams because they have been playing against people on these teams all summer," Moore said. "This isn't going to be new to these guys because they have been playing against the best all summer."
Bailes enters his third year on the travel squad and has emerged as a leader amongst Blue Raider linksters. The Cleveland, Tenn., native finished 10th at the Southern Amateur and had a strong all-around summer.
"He's far exceeded my expectations right now," Moore said of Bailes. "He's done it with hard work and he has a great amount of confidence. Right now he doesn't think anyone can beat him, which is good. He has raised the bar. Bailes is providing tremendous leadership and it's important to have that guy who can go out and put a low score on the board and have others follow him. (Bailes) can be that guy."
Perhaps the fact that every player traveling shot under par during qualifying is cause for what Moore calls "guarded optimism."
Cochran and Narramore were able to travel and get a year of college experience under their belt last season and each played well during the summer so their contributions are expected to increase.
Smith and Bulle are tasting the college game for the first time but each rookie brings strong credentials to the table and dazzled during qualifying to earn travel spots in their first collegiate tournament.
Smith became the fourth Blue Raider to qualify for the U.S. Amatuer when he accomplished the feat this summer, and Bulle reached match play at the U.S. Junior Amateur.
"I think this team has a great deal of potential," Moore said. "The players still have to adjust and get use to some things but the possibility of a good team is there based on how they have played of late."
They will be playing one of the state's premier courses at the Scenic City Invitational. The Honors Course opened July 2, 1983 to honor the game of amateur golf. It covers approximately 200 acres and measures 7,260 yards. The course has hosted such events as the Southern Amateur; Tennessee State Amateur, U.S. Amateur; men's NCAA Division I National Championships, won by Tiger Woods in 1996, and several other notable tournaments.
Middle Tennessee will play five fall tournaments. The remainder of the schedule includes:
Sept. 18-19 Jaguar Intercollegiate, South Alabama; Mobile, Ala.
Oct. 9-10 Crown Colony Classic, Stephen F. Austin; Lufkin, Texas
Oct. 22-24 Mason Rudolph Invitational, Vanderbilt; Franklin, Tenn.
Oct. 30-31 Sam H. Hall Invitational, Southern Miss; Hattiesburg, Miss.
Players Mentioned
