By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Three rounds of the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Golf Championships are complete and the University of Tennessee at Martin has earned a spot in the four-team match play round set for tomorrow at Dalhousie Golf Club.
The Skyhawks shot a 304 (+16) today, ending the 54-hole stroke play event in a tie with Morehead State for second place in the nine-team standings with a cumulative score of 898 (+34). After UT Martin won the tiebreaker (combined non-counting scores throughout the tournament), the Skyhawks were awarded the No. 2 seed in the winner-take-all match play event.
Following the conclusion of the tournament, UT Martin senior Tate Chumley was named to the six-man OVC All-Tournament team. The Murfreesboro, Tenn. native paced the Skyhawks for the second consecutive day, posting three birdies on the way to an even-par 72 to bring his three-round total to 221 (+5) – ranking fifth in the 45-man field. He topped the tournament in pars (39) while ranking third in par-3 scoring (3.00, E) and leading UT Martin in par-4 scoring (4.27, +8).
“I’m so proud for Tate to make the OVC All-Tournament team,” Skyhawk head coach Austin Swafford said. “He played the last 36 holes at 1-under and for this to potentially be his last college event makes it a little more special. He’s earned every accolade that has come his way.”
Following Tate Chumley in Round 3 for UT Martin was Garrett Chumley (76), who tallied a pair of birdies while shooting 1-under on the final 11 holes. Bryson Morrell tallied a birdie before submitting a final scorecard of 77 while the Skyhawk team scoring was wrapped up by Jacob Uehlein (79 with a pair of birdies). Jonathan Xoinis (81) was the final member of UT Martin’s lineup as he was responsible for one birdie.
Uehlein recorded his second straight top-10 tournament finish as his 224 (+8) ranked 10th overall. The Tullahoma, Tenn. native boasted the second-best par-5 scoring average (4.58, -5) in the event.
Morrell’s 226 (+10) was good enough for 13th place in the final standings as the junior from Knoxville, Tenn. tied for eighth in the field alongside teammate Garrett Chumley with nine total birdies. Xoinis and Garrett Chumley tied for 26th place in the individual standings with a 233 (+17).
As a team, the Skyhawks led the OVC Championship field in par-5 scoring (4.82, -11) while ranking second in par-4 scoring (4.31, +46). UT Martin piled up 46 birdies and 150 pars – each of which were the fourth-highest total in the field.
“It wasn’t our best day today in the final round but we hung in and competed,” Swafford said. “To finish with three birdies out of five on Hole No. 18 and finish tied for second to move to match play is all we can ask for. We’ve got a chance to win the tournament playing on the final day. All the teams left are very good so we’ll need to be on our ‘A’ game.”
The OVC’s automatic bid into the NCAA Golf Regionals is on the line tomorrow. No. 1 seed Tennessee Tech is paired with No. 4 seed SIUE in a semifinal match that starts at 7:30 a.m. The Skyhawks’ matchup against Morehead State will begin at 8:10 a.m. The two victors will then clash at approximately 1 p.m. in the championship finals.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information