May 27, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Georgia Tech senior golfer Kris Mikkelsen was one of 12 men and women’s collegiate players selected to represent the United States in the 2002 USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship as announced on Monday by the Golf Coaches Association of America. Mikkelsen will join seven other men and four women from across the U.S. in competing against their counterparts from Japan, July 17-19 at The Glen Club in Glenview, Ill.
Mikkelsen is one of three Atlantic Coast Conference players selected to compete in the event, joining 2002 ACC Champion Dustin Bray of North Carolina and Gregg Jones of Clemson. The remaining members of the team include Christi Cano of Oklahoma State, Bryan Clarke of West Florida, Clint Colbert of Savannah College of Art & Design, Danielle Downey of Auburn, Kelli Kamimura of Washington, Brock Mackenzie of Washington, Kristy McPherson of South Carolina, Chris Nallen of Arizon and Brandt Snedecker of Vanderbilt.
The players will compete on the recently-opened Tom Fazio course in doubles medal matches in the first round, while the second and third rounds will consist of 12 singles medal matches. East match is worth two points, with halved matches earning one point for each team. The U.S. holds a 19-6 advantage in the event, which is coordinated annually by the Japan Student Golf Association. The 2002 matches mark only the fifth time a United States course has played host.
Mikkelsen has turned in an outstanding senior season, earning All-ACC honors for the first time in his career, posting nine top-20 finishes in 10 events and ranking second on the team with a career-best 72.15 stroke average. He is the first Georgia Tech golfer to be selected for the USA vs. Japan Matches in the 25-year history of the event.
He will join his Yellow Jacket teammates this week at the NCAA Championships in Columbus, Ohio, as top-ranked Tech looks for its first national title and fourth top-four finish in five years.
