Aug. 28, 2001
Cullowhee, N.C. - The men's golf team at Western Carolina University enters 2001 inexperienced, but possessing what could be the best group of newcomers in recent memory.
Seniors Lee Cline and Greg Lewis will provide the leadership needed for such a young group. Cline (Hickory, N.C.) is coming off a strong summer, finishing second in the Carolina Amateur. He qualified for the event after posting rounds of 69-69 for a 138. He carries a career scoring average of 77.67 into his senior season, which ranks eighth on the school's all-time list. Cline additionally owns four of the top 20 all-time three-round scores in WCU history, including the number two spot (tied) with a 218 last season.
With a career stroke average of 77.40, Lewis (Stanley, N.C.) ranks just ahead of Cline on Western's all-time list. This past season, Lewis was second on the team with a 76.65 stroke average and shot rounds of 71 twice. One of his 71's came at the Southern Conference Championships. He posted an overall score of 225 there, which is the sixth-best score by a Catamount at the championships. As a sophomore, he placed 14th at the SoCon Championships.
Also back are Clay Kilgore, Dave Zachrich and Gorham Bradley. Kilgore, a sophomore from Nebo, N.C., showed positive signs at the end of 2001, posting a 70 in the final round of the SoCon Championships. He built on that to place sixth at the North Carolina Amateur this past summer, scoring even par (288) for 72 holes. Zachrich, a junior from Bryan, Ohio, had a top 10 finish last season. He additionally had a productive summer, scoring 69-70=139 at a test for professionals. Bradley, a sophomore from Spring Hope, N.C., only played in one tournament last season, but put in many hours on the course and driving range this past summer to bolster the Catamounts' depth.
Head Coach Johnny Wike has brought in five freshmen, which he thinks could be his best group ever. Chase Kress comes to Cullowhee from Big Stone Gap, Va., where he was the Class A high school state champion. Ryan Barry, who hails from Canada, was runner-up in the Toronto high school championship last season. Ryan Meyers (Ormond Beach, Fla.) brings a 73.6 scoring average from high school. Also, his prep team placed second in the Florida high school championships. Chris Mulkey (Calhoun, Ga.) placed third in the state championships and was his region's champion. Rounding out the newcomers is Johnson City, Tenn., native Andrew Paduch, who was second in the Tennessee private high school championships.
Western opens its season Sept. 15-16 at the Sea Trail Intercollegiate in Sunset Beach, N.C. The Cats return to action Oct. 1-2 as they host the Laurel Ridge Intercollegiate in Waynesville. After the UTC Intercollegiate (Oct. 15-16) and the Chris Cothran/Radford Intercollegiate (Oct. 22-23), Western will host its second tournament of the fall. However, the event -- the Shoot-out at Burning Ridge Intercollegiate -- will be played in Myrtle Beach, S.C., at Burning Ridge Country Club.
Western Carolina University 2001 Men's Golf Fall ScheduleDate Tournament Host Site Sept. 15-16 Sea Trail Intercollegiate Elon Sea Trail Resort Sunset Beach, NC
Oct. 1-2 WCU-Laurel Ridge Intercollegiate Western Carolina Laurel Ridge C.C. Waynesville, NC
Oct. 15-16 UTC Intercollegiate Chattanooga Signal Mountain C.C. Chattanooga, TN
Oct. 22-23 Chris Cothran Intercollegiate Radford Drapper Valley C.C. Pulaski, VA
Nov. 10-11 Shoot-Out at Burning Ridge Western Carolina Burning Ridge C.C. Myrtle Beach, SC
