Bolton leads Tech to fifth place in Southern Shootout

By TTU Sports Information

February 19, 2003

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Golf courses around the Cookeville region were nearly deserted Monday and Tuesday because of the cold, wet, windy and sloppy conditions.

But, the gray days didn't stop the Tennessee Tech women's golf team from opening the spring season with a solid fifth place showing in similar weather 250 miles south at the Southern Shootout, hosted at the Greystone Golf Course in Birmingham by Birmingham Southern University.

Sophomore Natasha Bolton led the way for coach Bobby Nichols' Golden Eaglettes with a 13th place individual finish, shooting an 81 Monday and an 87 Tuesday for a 36-hole 168. Junior Julie Smith (88-86) and sophomore Brandy Stout (88-86) tied for 21st place, followed by junior Sarah Thomas (87-88--175) in 26th place and freshman Kristen Martinez (92-92--184) in 46th place.

Jacksonville State placed four golfers among the top 11 finishers, including individual medalist Angie Green, as the Gamecocks won the event by 32 strokes over runnerup UAB. Green fired a second-round best 78, matching her first round total, to jump from a tie for fourth place after round one to win. UAB's Brooke Mangan's rounds of 77 and 81 were good enough for second place, two shots behind Green. Suzanne Jepson of South Alabama (159) and Shelley McGraw of Birmingham-Southern (160), finished third and fourth, respectively.

After JSU (642) and UAB (674), Southern Mississippi (678) was four strokes behind in third place, followed by Troy State (681) in fourth and Tennessee Tech (689) in fifth. Gardner-Webb (699) was eight strokes behind Tech in sixth place, followed by Birmingham Southern (701), Samford (711), South Alabama and Nicholls State (712), The Citadel (719), Jackson State (735), Lipscomb (744) and Arkansas Tech (771).

With a 9-4 record in this event, the Golden Eaglettes are now 56-24 for the year, including a 47-20 record during the fall season. Tech plays next at the Mercer University Invitational, Feb. 24-25, in Macon, Ga.