JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – After Hurricane Joaquin caused the postponement of the Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate, the Carson-Newman women's golf team is set to return to the course on Monday for the 36-hole, one-day Lady Flames Shootout at Cleveland Golf Club in Cleveland, Tenn.
The Lee Flames are hosting the fourth-annual Lady Flames Shootout and the tournament will be the third tournament of the season for the Eagles.
"It condenses the tournament and makes the playing field even for all the teams," assistant coach Lauren Hodge said of the one-day format. ""Thirty-six holes is always a challenge versus just playing 18 in a day. A lot of walking will be involved. Cleveland Country Club is a pretty playable course though; it's pretty walkable. We should be ready, even without playing in our tournament last week, we should be ready to go."
Freshman Taylor Hayes (Lake Ozark, Mo.), sophomore Elizabeth England (Oakland, Tenn.) and seniors Meridith Hawkins (Powell, Tenn.), Rebekah Pruett (Niceville, Fla.) and Kelli Pemberton (Knoxville, Tenn.) make up the five-person team.
Junior Jessica Hart (Roanoke, Va.) and freshman Summer Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) are competing as individuals in the tournament.
Hayes led the Eagles with a third-place finish at the Smokey Mountain Intercollegiate, while England was the top-finisher for C-N at the Ross Resorts Invitational with a tie for 11th. All five of this week's team finished within the top-20 three weeks ago at the SMI.
Pemberton leads the team with a 78.0 stroke average, while England and Hayes follow just behind the senior; England averages 78.4 strokes per round and Hayes have a 78.8 stroke average. Hawkins's low round in 2015 was a 76 during the final round of the Smokey Mountain Intercollegiate; the reigning South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year has an 80.6 stroke average. Pruett fired her low round of the season during the final round of the SMI with an 81.
Smith is making her second appearance for the Orange and Blue; the freshman out of Knoxville shot an 89 and 87 during her first tournament at the SMI. Hart has the last stroke average in the 70s for the Eagles as she averages 79.5 strokes per round with her low round of the year being a 79.
"It's been a great motivator for everyone else on the team (having Hayes and England lead the squad early). Since we have such young talent, I think that motivates Meridith and Kelly and Rebekah, as seniors, to step up and compete with their underclassmen," Hodge said. "I think it sets a good tone for our team for the rest of the fall and for our spring coming up. It's a great thing we've got going on."
Carson-Newman and Lee are joined by the Peach Belt Conference's North Georgia, Shorter and Young Harris in the Lady Flames Shootout.
The Cleveland Country Club serves as the home course for the Lee University men's and women's golf; Cleveland Country Club was established in 1924 and is located in beautiful Cleveland, Tenn. The club features an exquisitely designed 18 hole, par-72 golf course.
The 36-hole Lady Flames Shootout will be played on Monday with a full recap available on cneagles.com following the conclusion of the one-day tournament.
-CN-
