‘Cats roar to top of rankings

The Bobcat Golf team is ranked second in the nation according to a new poll.

The Golf Coaches Association of America’s latest poll, released last Wednesday, listed five Peach Belt Conference teams in the Division II top 25, including Georgia College & State University (2nd), Armstrong Atlantic State (18th), Columbus State (22nd) and the poll’s leader, defending national champion USC Aiken.

The Bobcats have finished in the top three in four out of five tournaments this semester, and are hoping to return to the NCAA Tournament in May for the 8 consecutive season.

They won the Bobcat Invitational on March 21 finishing ahead of Armstrong Atlantic State and the University of North Alabama.

Most recently, the team struggled at the Southeastern Intercollegiate finishing in 11th place.

The upcoming challenges for the Bobcats will be the Peach Belt Conference Championships and the NCAA Regional Championships.

Jimmy Wilson, Bobcat golf coach since 1986, said he is confident his team will win when it matters most.

“It’s a solid team,” said Wilson. “We’re probably deeper than we’ve ever been, but what matters most is the month of May. You can play great all year, but if you don’t play well in May, it’s all for nothing. Hopefully, we’ll continue to get better, and by the third week of May, we’ll be peaking at the right time.”

The Bobcats’ practice was cut short last week because of weather conditions, which Wilson called a possible “blessing in disguise.”

“I was joking that I hope the other schools are having weather as bad as ours,” Wilson said. “We’re not out there practicing, but it gives the guys time to hit the books. They are here to go to school first, then play golf.”

Carter Collins of Claxton, Ga., who has a 74.1 stroke average in nine tournaments with seven top 10 finishes, said the recent lack of practice should not be a factor.

“If we relied on the week before a tournament to be ready for it, we’d be in big trouble,” said Collins. “There are years of practice [behind] every tournament. Our team is ready for each and every tournament.”

Collins, a senior, said this spring’s tournaments are especially important to him.

“I’ve spent three years working to get here,” Collins said. “I’ve been through all the close finishes and the bad finishes. We want to win everything, and this is [the seniors'] last chance to do it.”

John Tillery of Madison Ga., also a senior, has a 73.6 stroke average in nine tournaments along with seven top 10 finishes. His top finish came when he took home a medal at the Outback Intercollegiate Tournament.

Tillery said he has never seen the team as dominant as it has been this spring.

“I’ve been here for three years, and I haven’t seen the team consistently this good,” Tillery said. “There have always been a lot of good players here, but it’s a matter of getting the right guys that mold together. I know we’re as good or better than any team we’re going to see, and we should win the Nationals if we play the way we can.”

For the Bobcats, the team to beat continues to be USC Aiken, ranked No. 1 in the country.

“They won the national championship last year,” Wilson said. “It’s the only school in the country we have a losing record against.”

Tillery said it is natural to be nervous as the championships draw nearer.

“I am more anxious than nervous,” Tillery said. “Looking at the polls makes it a lot harder, but when you get out there, you don’t have time to think. If you’re not nervous, you don’t care. If I wasn’t nervous, I’d quit playing.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Apr 8 2005. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry