Rende SoCon Golfer of the Week

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.—University of Tennessee at Chattanooga freshman Derek Rende was honored as the Southern Conference Golfer of the Week after winning medalist honors and leading the Mocs to the team title at the USA Spring Golf Classic the conference office announced Thursday.

Rende fired a course record 63 in the second round to surge into the individual lead. His round included seven birdies and one eagle and also was the lowest single round score in the history of the UTC golf program. His performance aided the Mocs to a team score of 11-under par on the round which turned a six stroke deficit after the opening round into a seven stroke lead heading into the final round. The team score of 277 tied a school record for the best round in school history.

Rende was 12-under par over the 54 hole event, his best showing in his brief career. “Derek opened some eyes this week” remarked UTC head coach Mark Guhne. “Those of us who get to watch him play every day know how good he is, but now it is pretty evident to everyone else too.”

The team title was the third of the season for the Mocs who rose to No. 41 in the Golfstat ratings following the win. That is the highest rating in the history of the program.

The conference honor is the third of the season for the Mocs. Jonathan Hodge was named the Golfer of the Month for February. Hodge was also the Golfer of the Week for the week of March 7.

Rende, Mocs Claim Titles at USA Spring Golf Classic

MOBILE, Ala.—Freshman Derek Rende carded a final-round 2-under par 70 and cruised to a three shot individual victory while leading Chattanooga to a program-record third team title of the season at the USA Spring Golf Classic at Heron Lake Country Club.

The Mocs were 6-under par as a team in the final round, led by Bryce Ledford’s 67. Ledford’s 5-under par round moved him from a 23rd-place tie after two rounds into a tie for eighth place at 3-under par. Teammate Jonathan Hodge also finished in the four-man logjam at 3-under after a final-round 71.

Rende’s win is the second for a UTC freshman in school history and the first since Per Oloffson claimed medalist honors at the 2000 Louisiana Tech Invitational. Rende finished below par for the first time in his short career and did so in grand fashion, finishing the 54-hole event at 12-under par and winning by three strokes.

The team title is the third of the season for the Mocs, a program record. UTC also took home the team crown at the Rio Pinar Intercollegiate and the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate.

The Mocs, currently ranked No. 48 by Golfstat and No. 49 by Golfweek, were 12 strokes better than No. 39 Southeastern Louisiana and 16 better than No. 19 Louisville.

Team Results
1. Chattanooga 288-277-282=847 (-17)
T2. Southeastern Louisiana 282-290-287=859 (-5)
T2. South Alabama 286-292-281=859 (-5)
4. Louisville 294-285-284=863 (-1)
5. West Florida 284-301-279=864 (E)
6. Memphis 291-293-281=865 (+1)
7. Virginia Commonwealth 292-301-282=875 (+11)
8. Jacksonville State 294-292-293=879 (+15)
9. South Florida 292-305-292=889 (+25)
10. Mississippi State 297-301-293=891 (+27)
11. Southern Mississippi 298-299-307=904 (+40)
12. Mercer 297-310-199=906 (+42)

Chattanooga Individuals
1. Derek Rende 71-63-70=204 (-12)
T8. Jonathan Hodge 72-70-71=213 (-3)
T8. Bryce Ledford 75-71-67=213 (-3)
T30. Fredrik Qvicker 72-73-76=221 (+5)
T32. Mitch Brock 73-75-74=222 (+6)
*T32. Ben Rickett 74-71-77=222 (+6)
*competing as an individual

Top-5 Individuals
1. Derek Rende (Chattanooga) 71-63-70=204 (-12)
2. Ian Rochester (Memphis) 69-69-69=207 (-9)
T3. M. Etienne Bussieres (South Alabama) 69-71-68=208 (-8)
T3. Rafael Campos (Virginia Commonwealth) 71-71-66=208 (-8)
T5. Derek Fathauer (Louisville) 73-66-70=209 (-7)
T5. Federico Damus (W. Florida) 66-76-67=209 (-7)

Rende’s Record 63 Charges Mocs to Lead at South Alabama Classic

MOBILE, Ala.—Freshman Derek Rende fired a school record 9-under par 63 to take the individual lead and pace Chattanooga to a seven stroke advantage at the University of South Alabama Spring Golf Classic.

Jonathan Hodge’s 2-under par 70 combined with Bryce Ledford’s 71 and Rende’s 63 to give the Mocs three of 12 golfers in the field to break par in Monday’s afternoon round. The Mocs’ second-round total of 277 turned what had been a six-stroke deficit after the first round into a seven-stroke lead heading into Tuesday’s final round. UTC’s 11-under par 277 also tied a school record for the lowest single-round team score in school history.

Rende’s record round included two eagles and followed his opening 71 to give him a four stroke lead over Ian Rochester of Memphis. Hodge is tied for fifth at 2-under par. Fredrik Qvicker and Ben Rickett, who is playing as an individual, are tied for 16th at 1-over.

Rende’s 63 is the lowest round ever carded in UTC history. The previous record was 64, recorded by Tim Vickers in the 2001 Chattanooga Intercollegiate held at Signal Mountain Golf and Country Club.

The Mocs have won two tournaments this Spring, claiming titles at the Rio Pinar Intercollegiate and the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate. A win tomorrow would be the first time in school history that the Mocs have won three tournaments in a season.

The Mocs are currently ranked No. 48 in both the Golfweek and Golfstat rankings.

Team Results
1. Chattanooga 288-277=565 (-11)
2. Southeastern Louisiana 282-290=572 (-4)
3. South Alabama 286-292=578 (+2)
4. Louisville 294-285=579 (+3)
5. Memphis 291-293=584 (+8)
6. West Florida 284-301=585 (+9)
7. Jacksonville State 294-292=586 (+10)
8. Virginia Commonwealth 292-301=593 (+17)
T9. Southern Mississippi 298-299=597 (+21)
T9. South Florida 292-305=597 (+21)
11. Mississippi State 297-301=598 (+22)
12. Mercer 297-310=607 (+31)

Chattanooga Individuals
1. Derek Rende 71-63=134 (-10)
T5. Jonathan Hodge 72-70=142 (-2)
T16. Fredrik Qvicker 72-73=145 (+1)
*T16. Ben Rickett 74-71=145 (+1)
T23. Bryce Ledford 75-71=146 (+2)
T30. Mitch Brock 73-75=148 (+4)
* competing as an individual

Top-5 Individuals
1. Derek Rende (Chattanooga) 71-63=134 (-10)
2. Ian Rochester (Memphis) 69-69=138 (-6)
3. Derek Fathauer (Louisville) 73-66=139 (-5)
4. M. Etienne Bussieres (South Alabama) 69-71=140 (-4)
T5. Jonathan Hodge (Chattanooga) 72-70=142 (-2)
T5. Daniel Willett (Jacksonville State) 68-74=142 (-2)
T5. Johnny Caldwell (South Alabama) 70-72=142 (-2)
T5. Julian Colmenares (Jacksonville State) 71-71=142 (-2)
T5. Rafael Campos (Virginia Commonwealth) 71-71=142 (-2)
T5. Federico Damus (W. Florida) 66-76=142 (-2)

Hodge Fourth, Mocs Fifth at Carter Plantation

HAMMOND, La.—Jonathan Hodge fired a final-round 68 to earn a tie for fourth at the Carter Plantation Intercollegiate.

Hodge, the SoCon Player of the Week, entered the final round tied for 16th. His round of 4-under par gave him a 54-hole total of 1-under par 215. Hodge’s 68 was the second-lowest round of the final round, bested only by Southeastern Louisiana’s James Taverner. Taverner’s closing 67 gave him medalist honors at 4-under par 212.

Freshman Derek Rende survived a quadruple-bogey to shoot 76 and tie for 10th at 2-over par.

The Mocs three-round team total of 23-over par was good for fifth place, one stroke behind Jacksonville State and 24 behind the winning 2-under par mark of Southeastern Louisiana.

The Mocs won the team titles in its last two tournaments, the Rio Pinar Intercollegiate and the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate. As a result, Chattanooga has risen to #42 in the Golfweek rankings and #45 in the Golfstat ratings. Those rankings are the highest in the history of the program.

Team Results
1. Southeastern Louisiana 285-286-291=862 (-2)
2. Middle Tennessee 293-289-286=868 (+4)
3. South Alabama 295-289-295=879 (+15)
4. Jacksonville State 298-294-289=881 (+17)
5. Chattanooga 294-299-293=886 (+22)
6. Ole Miss 302-293-290=887 (+23)

7. Louisiana Tech 299-294-297=890 (+26)
8. Mississippi State 298-302-296=896 (+32)

9. Southern Mississippi 302-293-303=898 (+34)
10. Arkansas State 297-301-304=902 (+38)
11. South Florida 302-303-299=904 (+40)

12. SE Louisiana B 303-307-295=905 (+41)

13. Texas-San Antonio 310-296-303=909 (+45)

14. Nicholls State 306-297-316=919 (+55)
15. Louisiana-Monroe 313-311-305=929 (+65)

Chattanooga Individuals
T4. Jonathan Hodge 73-74-68=215 (-1)

T10. Derek Rende 70-72-76=218 (+2)
T30. Bryce Ledford 74-79-72=225 (+9)
T53. Mitch Brock 77-77-77=231 (+15)
T61. Fredrik Qvicker 79-76-80=235 (+19)

Top-5 Individuals
1. James Taverner (SE Louisiana) 73-72-67=212 (-4)

2. Daniel Burns (South Alabama) 73-71-69=213 (-3)

3. Daniel Willett (Jacksonville State) 70-71-73=213 (-2)

T4. Jonathan Hodge (Chattanooga) 73-74-68=215 (-1)
T4. Peter O’Keeffe (SE Louisiana) 66-75-74=215 (-1)
T4. Johnny Caldwell (South Alabama) 74-68-73=215 (-1)

T4. Chas Narramore (Middle Tennessee) 71-74-70=215 (-1)
T4. Craig Smith (Middle Tennessee) 72-75-68=215 (-1)

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