Wylie, Eagles prepare for second tournament of fall slate
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Now that the first tournament of the season is behind them, the Carson-Newman men’s golf team looks ahead to traveling back to Georgia, this time into the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains for the Fourth Annual North Georgia Fall Invitational.
VIDEO: Randy Wylie Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Now that the first tournament of the season is behind them, the Carson-Newman men's golf team looks ahead to traveling back to Georgia, this time into the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains for the Fourth Annual North Georgia Fall Invitational.
This is the team's first showing in the event since 2015.
Jake Headrick, Tom Forster, Jackson Tyler, Tyler Parker and Anthony Marcinelli have all been named starters once again for the Eagles after placing sixth as a team at the Cougar Invitational last week.
"I was really pleased with starting two freshman (Tyler and Parker) in a field of that strength. I was really pleased with their play," head coach Randy Wylie said of the showing at the previous event. "I just hope that they stay mature about it."
Headrick led the team both days, scoring a 71 and 69 on the first day of competition and 72 to close out the final day of competition. His one-under finish was good enough to end in a tie for 11th on the leaderboard.
The junior is the only starter to have experience playing at North Georgia. As a freshman in 2015, he shot a one-under 215 to place himself at a 19th-place tie. That outing saw the Eagles finish at second place in a 17-team pool, shooting a 24-under 840.
"(Because Headrick has already participated in the North Georgia Invitational) we've a guy on the team who is already talking to the guys about the golf course, and it's a fantastic golf course," Wylie mentioned. "It's one of the most fun tournaments we play."
Grant Bodie will also make the trip to Dahlonega, Ga., playing as an individual in the tournament. This will be the junior's seventh career competition. The last time he participated in an event for the Eagles was in the Walters State Fall Classic last October, finishing at a tie for 15th, the best finish of his career thus far.
This year, 13 teams will compete at Achasta Golf Club. The only other South Atlantic Conference competitor appearing in the event with C-N is Newberry. The vast majority of teams competing are from the Peach Belt Conference, including host school North Georgia, Clayton State, Flagler, Georgia College, Georgia Southwestern State, Lander and Young Harris. Lee, Shorter and West Georgia will also take part in the Invitational, representing the Gulf South Conference.
Achasta Golf Club has a mountainous landscape that houses a par-72, 6,967-yard course nestled against the Chestatee River. Numerous PGA Events have been held at the golf course designed by legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus, including the 2003 U.S. Open qualifier.
The North Georgia Invitational will begin on Monday with 36 holes to be played on the first day. A final round of 18 will close out the 54-hole event on Tuesday.
