JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the eighth time in the last nine seasons, No. 21 Carson-Newman will compete at the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate at Sevierville Golf Club, in Sevierville, Tennessee.
Sevierville Golf Club, the River Course, is a par 72 that will play just shy of 7,000 yards this week. The course plays along and across the Little Pigeon River. Sevierville Golf Club was recognized by Golf Advisor as one of the top 50 US courses.
"We've had a lot of success here through the years, Carson-Newman head coach Randy Wylie said. "We've had three guys that have won there individually. Knowing the course as well as I know it and the players do as well, and knowing the course setup, we know what to expect. We feel like we've got a great chance to bring home the trophy again."
No. 21 Carson-Newman has finished in the top five, six straight seasons at this event, including two tournament wins, one in 2017, and the other coming last season. Both of those tournament winning seasons, the Eagles have had the individua medalist. Elliot MacGregor (Shepperton, Middlesex) last season, and Jake Headrick in 2017. C-N's Tom Forster also won individual honors in 2018.
In last season's tournament victory, The Eagles shot 29-under par for the entire tournament and defeated Division I Oral Roberts by 12 strokes. The second round 272 score by C-N was the lowest team round score in the history of the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate tournament. Three C-N golfers finished in the top five.
MacGregor led the charge winning his first individual tournament, shooting a five-under 67 in the final round last season. The sophomore is aiming to build off a stellar week last time out. His opening round of 68 at the Hurricane Invitational was the second lowest in his career. He finished the the tournament at 1-under par, tying for 17th.
Jake Mynatt (Knoxville, Tenn.) also returns to the lineup for C-N this week, having played at this event the prior two seasons. Last season he finished fifth, going seven under par for the week. The graduate student has been a steady cog in the C-N lineup all season. He has recorded three straight top ten finishes, bringing his career total to eleven. Mynatt has added two more top five finishes to this tally this spring season as well. His 71.8 scoring average is currently his best over the course of his five-year career.
Hayden Hunneke (Chattanooga, Tenn.) has impressed in his first season with the Eagles. The graduate student has 11 straight rounds of par or better golf. Hunneke has finished under par in four consecutive events and has recorded three top five finishes this season. His current scoring average of 71.56, ranks first all-time for best scoring average in a career. That mark is fourth best in a season, Jonathan Nielson's 71.0 last season is the best by a C-N golfer.
Luke Stock (Oxted, England.) is looking to build off his best finish of the spring season. The junior finished tied for 28th, going 2-over par at the Hurricane Invitational. His three-round score of 218 was one shy of tying his best tournament mark with Carson-Newman. Stock has recorded six under par rounds so far this season.
Antonio Farinella (Knoxville, Tenn.) will compete in his second career event with the Eagles. The senior played in his first event two weeks back, at the Hurricane Invitational. He finished tied for 49th but opened his career with an even par round of 72.
Competing as an individual this week is junior Aidan Powter (Sydney, Australia). He will play in his fourth tournament with C-N. His low round early in his Eagles career is a 2-under 70 in the final round of the Saint Leo Invitational.
The three-round event begins tomorrow at 10:30 a.m., with eighteen holes scheduled for each day of the event.
Live scoring is available at this link:
https://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=team&tid=25513
