May 15, 2001
ATLANTA – The second-ranked Georgia Tech men’s golf team will be part of a strong 27-team field this Thursday-Saturday at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Va. The Yellow Jackets are one of four top-five teams in the group competing for ten berths in the NCAA Championships on May 30-June 2 in Durham, N.C.
The Jackets will begin play on Thursday morning at 11:15 a.m., in threesomes with in-state rival Georgia, the top seed from District Three South, and Rhode Island, the top seed from District One. Those same three schools will be grouped together on Friday as well, beginning on the 10th tee at 7:12 a.m. The final round pairings will be based on the teams* 36-hole scores, with the leaders teeing off beginning at 7:12 a.m.
Tech will be looking for its third East Regional title in the last four years and its fourth overall. The Jackets won back-to-back team titles in 1998 and 1999, along with a win in the 1991 event. Georgia Tech has also had three individuals claim medalist honors at the tourney. Chan Reeves recorded a score of 69-69-69=207 to win in 1991, Jimmy Johnston captured the crown in 1992 with his score of 72-67-70=209, and most recently Matt Kuchar won the 1998 event in a NCAA East Regional school-record score of 14-under-par, 64-69-69=202.
The Yellow Jackets gained an automatic berth in the field as a result of their win at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on April 20-22. Tech turned in an outstanding back nine on the final day to claim the program’s seventh ACC crown and the second in the past three years. Senior Bryce Molder led Tech in the event, as he placed second in the individual standings with a three-day score of 11-under-par, 69-70-66=205. Molder was joined in the top 10 by junior Kris Mikkelsen, who was tied for sixth place at 69-73-71=213, and sophomore Troy Matteson in 10th place at 70-74-71=215. All five of Tech’s individuals placed in the top 15, was junior Matt Weibring was tied for 12th at 73-71-72=216, and senior Wes Latimer tied for 15th at 72-71-75=218.
