East Mississippi opens MACJC spring golf season with fifth-place team finish in Gulfport

The East Mississippi Community College men's golf team opened the 2014 season with a fifth-place finish during the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges' first spring event held Sunday and Monday at the Great Southern Golf Club.

East Mississippi opens MACJC spring golf season with fifth-place team finish in Gulfport
February 11, 2014

GULFPORT – The East Mississippi Community College men's golf team opened the 2014 season with a fifth-place finish during the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges' first spring event held Sunday and Monday at the Great Southern Golf Club.

Despite cutting 13 strokes off their opening-day 322, head coach Dale Peay's EMCC Lions maintained their fifth-place standing with a final-round 309.  Their two-day total of 631 fell seven strokes behind fourth-place Northwest Mississippi (318-306—624).

While securing an eight-stroke lead over second-place Copiah-Lincoln following Sunday's 294 team score, Meridian Community College held off the host Bulldogs of Mississippi Gulf Coast by seven shots after carding an identical 294 during Monday's final round.  MGCCC, six-time reigning NJCAA Region 23 champions, finished second at 595 (306-289), while Co-Lin claimed third-place team honors with rounds of 302 and 308 for a 610 two-day total.

Individually, Meridian's Nathan Kirkland captured medalist honors as the lone golfer under par for the tournament (70-71—141) with a three-shot victory over MGCCC's Hayes Weathersby (76-68—144), who carded a tournament-best 68 on Monday, and Ryan Desormeaux of Co-Lin (74-70—144).   

Leading the way for EMCC at the 6,236-yard, par-71 layout was freshman Hunter Harmon of Calhoun Academy.  Last year's Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class A state medalist turned in a pair of 77s to finish in a five-way tie for ninth place at 154.

Also making his collegiate spring debut for the Lions, former Bruce High School product W.D. Newlin tied for 14th place with scores of 80 and 75.  Fellow EMCC freshmen Trent Humber (82-78—160), of Caledonia, and Arkansas native Chase Chitwood (83-79—162) each improved by four strokes during Monday's final round to tie for 27th and 34th place, respectively.

Rounding out East Mississippi's spring-opening scorecard was sophomore Chase Smith, who also bettered his opening-round score by four strokes to tie for 39th place (85-81—166).  

The MACJC's second spring golf event, hosted by Hinds Community College, is slated for Feb. 22-23 at the Eagle Ridge Golf Course in Raymond.