EMCC’s Matthew Phillips earns golf invite to NJCAA Division II Gulf District Championship
East Mississippi Community College’s Matthew Phillips has earned an invitation to compete in next week’s (April 25-26) NJCAA Division II Gulf District Men’s Golf Championship based on his recent performance at the MACCC Championship.
SCOOBA — East Mississippi Community College's Matthew Phillips has earned an invitation to compete in next week's (April 25-26) NJCAA Division II Gulf District Men's Golf Championship based on his recent performance at the MACCC Championship.
To be hosted by Northeast Mississippi Community College, the NJCAA Division II Gulf District Men's Golf Championship will take place at Kirkwood National Golf Club in Holly Springs. The two-day district championship event will be one of eight regional tournaments played nationally to determine which teams and individuals get to advance to the 2022 NJCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship, set for May 17-20 at Twin Hills Country Club in Joplin, Mo.
Phillips, a freshman from Steens, tied for 22nd place with rounds of 83 and 85 at the MACCC Championship hosted by Copiah-Lincoln Community College. The two-day (April 8-9) conference championship was held at Wolf Hollow Golf Club in Wesson.
"I'm very proud of Matt because he's a very hard-working and driven individual who is passionate about the game," said EMCC head men's golf coach Ashton Maddaloni. "It's been great to see the improvements he's made throughout the season, and he will represent East Mississippi well and hopefully set the tone for the future of the program."
Phillips was one of two MACCC golfers who played their way into the upcoming NJCAA Gulf District Championship based on their conference tournament finishes. Itawamba's Rhett Gullet, who placed 27th at the MACCC postseason event, was the other district invitee.
Golfers from the top-five team finishers at the MACCC Championship (Meridian, Mississippi Gulf Coast, Northeast Mississippi, Copiah-Lincoln, and Pearl River) automatically advanced to the NJCAA Gulf District Championship. In addition, three other golfers from non-qualifying teams were selected based on their season-long stroke averages in conference play – ICC's Landry Miller and the East Central tandem of Bryce Denley and River Maskew.
Phillips enters district play with a team-leading 81.50 stroke average for the season, including six sub-80 rounds on the year. He paced the Lions in seven of eight tournaments this season, finishing 31st overall or better during each of the last six conference tournaments.
Most recently at last week's (April 11-12) MUW Invitational played at Columbus' Elm Lake Golf Course, Phillips carded back-to-back rounds of 77 to finish tied for 11th individually and help lead the EMCC Lions to a fourth-place finish with a pair of season-best rounds of 327 as a team.
Having lettered in track, cross country, basketball and baseball at Columbus Christian Academy, Phillips started playing golf just a few years ago when the 2020 baseball season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. During his prep playing days at CCA, Phillips was a two-time All-MAIS cross country team and state championship participant along with earning all-district honors in basketball and baseball.