By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin golf squad posted its best round of the 2021 NCAA Regional today, closing out its remarkable campaign at the Sagamore Club.
The Skyhawks shot a 297 (+9) during Round 3, wrapping up the 54-hole event with an 896 (+32). That ranked 11th in the deeply competitive 13-team field that featured eight nationally ranked top-50 squads.
“It was a fantastic year,” UT Martin head coach Austin Swafford said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the guys and what they’ve accomplished all year long. To win the Ohio Valley Conference and make it to this point here at NCAA Regionals, it took so many people to have that success. This is a special group and I enjoyed the ride with these guys.”
Setting the tone for the Skyhawks today was the duo of Ross Redmont and Tate Chumley as each player carded a 73. A senior from Memphis, Tenn., Redmont tapped in a team-high four birdies and added nine pars in his final collegiate round. Chumley, who also topped UT Martin in scoring in Round 1, collected both of his birdies in his first five holes and tacked on 13 pars today.
Nick Wolf was 1-under par through 15 holes before finishing with a 74 today (including a pair of birdies). Completing the team scoring was Jack Story, who came away with two birdies on the way to a 77 in his final round as Skyhawk.
UT Martin’s fifth member of the lineup today was Peyton Dix, who subbed in to take part in the final round of his collegiate career. The redshirt senior out of Eads, Tenn. was responsible for one of only nine eagles on the day – occurring on the par-5, 538-yard Hole No. 2 – and added two birdies, scoring an 80.
For the tournament, Wolf and Chumley tied for 38th place in the individual standings with a 220 (+4). Those two also tied for the team lead in par-5 scoring (4.75, -3) while Wolf additionally compiled a team-high nine birdies and a team-best 3.17 par-3 scoring average (+2). Chumley also accounted for a team-best 4.13 par-4 scoring average (+4).
Redmont ranked fifth in the tournament field with 36 pars on his way to a 224 (+8) for the event. Story’s 54-hole tally was a 232 (+16) while Jacob Uehlein (163, +19) also represented the Skyhawks in the first two rounds of the NCAA Regionals.
UT Martin’s 2020-21 season included five tournament victories – including the program’s second-ever OVC championship. The Skyhawks also produced just the third OVC individual medalist in school history in Story, who tied for the best 54-hole score in OVC Championship history with a 204 (-12). Four different UT Martin representatives nabbed OVC postseason honors as Austin Swafford won OVC Coach of the Year accolades in his debut season. He was joined by the trio of Wolf, Chumley and Story – who each earned All-OVC status. In addition, the Skyhawks set an all-time league record with their eighth overall OVC Team Sportsmanship Award – bringing that award back to campus for the seventh consecutive year.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information