University of Georgia Athletics
Bulldogs Head to Sea Island for SEC Championships
April 13, 2005 | Men's Golf
April 13, 2005
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Bulldogs begin 2005 postseason run at SEC Championships
A well-rested Georgia men's golf team will head to the 2005 Southeastern Conference Championships this weekend in Sea Island as the Bulldogs attempt to defend their 2004 title.
Georgia and its SEC counterparts will gather at the Sea Island Golf Club's Seaside Course Friday through Sunday. Live scoring will be available at www.golfstatlive.com.
The Bulldogs took the past week off after playing in five tournaments in a 36-day span. Georgia's players used the down time to fine tune parts of their game and focus in on some schoolwork. With that business taken care of, the Bulldogs are now ready for the task at hand.
"There's no question we're all very excited about the SECs," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "If you had to choose two tournaments to win during the season, they would be the NCAAs and the SECs. Competing against teams in your own league brings out the best in everyone. There is a lot of pride at stake here."
Haack will use the same lineup that won the 2004 title: senior David Denham, juniors Kevin Kisner and Richard Scott, and sophomores Chris Kirk and Brendon Todd.
The SEC once again boasts stellar programs in men's golf top to bottom. The Bulldogs enter the 2005 SECs as the nation's second-ranked squad behind Oklahoma State. The top 20 also includes SEC brethren No. 6 Florida, No. 7 Auburn, No. 16 Tennessee, No. 18 Kentucky and No. 20 South Carolina. Alabama isn't far behind at No. 23, followed by No. 35 LSU, No. 45 Arkansas, No. 50 Ole Miss, No. 53 Vanderbilt and No. 86 Mississippi State.
"There are a lot of good teams in the SEC this year," Haack said. "I think the tournament is up for grabs. It's going to come down to who makes the fewest mistakes and who can capitalize with some good rounds."
Individually, Kirk is No. 6 in the nation and is the highest-rated conference player entering the SECs. Kirk has won twice this season, including the ASU Invitational in the Bulldogs' last tournament. Following Kirk in the individual rankings from Georgia are No. 15 Denham, No. 47 Todd (last year's SEC medalist), No. 77 Kisner and No. 187 Scott. Six of the top 20 nationally ranked individuals hail from the SEC, but Georgia (with Kirk and Denham) is the only team with two on that list.
"Kirk, Denham and Todd all are playing really well, and Kisner and Scott are working hard to gain some consistency," Haack said. "The week off has really helped us work on some things."
Kirk enters SECs with Georgia's top scoring average, pair of victories
Chris Kirk heads into the SECs boasting Georgia's top scoring average at 72.15. Kirk has notched the Bulldogs' two individual wins this season, claiming the title at the Isleworth Collegiate (for which he was named the SEC Golfer of the Week) and the ASU Invitational. In Georgia's nine tournaments to date, Kirk has six top-20 finishes, including four in the top 10, and he barely missed the top 20 in another.
"The biggest thing for me this year is that I've been consistent," Kirk said. "I really haven't had that bad round to get me out of my rhythm. I've putted real well, and that's always a key."
SEC medalist, Freshman of the Year Todd led Bulldogs to 2004 conference title
The Bulldogs won the conference title last year at Sea Island, nudging Florida by a stroke. Playing in the final group on the final day, Brendon Todd came through in the clutch for Georgia as he earned SEC medalist honors, becoming the 15th Bulldog to do so. Todd also was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Year along with Jessie Mudd of Florida. Georgia has had three players named SEC Freshman of the Year: Mark Northey (1996), Kevin Kisner (2003) and Todd (2004).
Todd checks into the SECs on something of a roll. He has finished 10th (Hootie at Bulls Bay) and third (ASU Invitational) in his last two events, and he is averaging 73.26.
"We're all looking forward to getting back down to Sea Island," Todd said. "I think the success we had there last year has all of us feeling pretty confident and feeling good about our chances of winning again."
Kisner may be slumping, but don't count him out in the postseason
Kevin Kisner was one of Georgia's hottest golfers in the fall. He had an average of 71.42 and four top-20 finishes as he helped lead the Bulldogs to two team titles. At the Jerry Pate Intercollegiate, he fired a 7-under 64, tying the third-best single-round figure in school history. However this spring, he has been slumping, averaging 75.93 heading into the SECs. But if you're counting him out, shame on you. Kisner is a two-time All-American and has finished second and eighth in his two SEC appearances at Sea Island. And he lives for the postseason pressure. His 20-foot birdie putt at the 2004 NCAAs sent the Bulldogs into a playoff that they ultimately won for the right to stick around for the final round.
"Kevin has not had the kind of spring that he had hoped for, but he has been working extremely hard to get things turned around," Haack said. "You'll never hear Kevin complain. He just goes to work to get better and he leads our team by example. He's a great team captain."
Lone senior Denham is a steady performer for the Bulldogs
David Denham, the only senior in the Georgia lineup, sort of flies below the radar for the Bulldogs. You almost take for granted that he's going to post a score right around par. For the year, he is averaging 72.52 and he leads the team in top-10 finishes with five and in top-20 efforts with seven. His career average is 72.54, and his annual averages at Georgia are 72.45, 72.64 and 72.52. (He played his freshman season at Georgia State University.) Denham also leads the Bulldogs this season with 14 par-or-better rounds.
Denham's 2004-05 season got a jump start last summer in Athens as he won the Georgia Amateur, joining the likes of Bobby Jones and former Bulldogs Arnold Blum, George Hamer, Jimmy Gabrielsen, Danny Yates, Peter Persons and Paul Claxton.
"David has a solid all-around game that allows him to be consistent," Haack said. "Every time David walks off the course, you can rest assured that he didn't give any strokes away and that he fought to the best of his ability."
Oh Canada! Scott represents country at World Amateur Championships
Richard Scott missed two of the Bulldogs' nine tournaments this season, but he had a good excuse.
Scott represented Canada in the World Amateur Team Championships in Puerto Rico. Recently, Scott earned another honor from his native land as he was chosen for the Royal Canadian Golf Association's National Amateur Golf Team. The purpose of the program is to aid up-and-coming amateurs in all areas of their development as they work toward becoming pros. The team is made up of five men and five women, including former Lady Bulldog and current assistant coach Laura Henderson Matthews.
"Anytime you're chosen to represent your country, it's a real honor," Scott said. "It was great to compete in Puerto Rico and I'm excited about being selected for the national amateur team."
Under Haack's watch, the Bulldogs have been very, very good
The Bulldogs have won 23 team championships during Coach Chris Haack's watch, which began in 1996-97. This includes four SEC titles and the 1999 national championship. This past fall, Haack guided the Bulldogs to back-to-back wins at the Isleworth Collegiate and the Carpet Capital Collegiate. Georgia had three golfers in the top 11 at the Isleworth, then the Bulldogs had four in the top 17 at the Carpet Capital.
Georgia has been solid against its SEC foes this season
The Bulldogs have compiled an impressive 25-5-1 record in head-to-head competition against SEC teams this season. Georgia is: 4-0 vs. Alabama; 2-3 vs. Auburn; 5-1 vs. Florida; 2-1 vs. Kentucky; 2-0 vs. LSU; 5-0 vs. South Carolina; 1-0-1 vs. Tennessee; and 4-0 vs. Vanderbilt. Arkansas, Ole Miss and Mississippi State have not been in any tournaments with Georgia this year.
Historically, the Bulldogs have been at their best at the SECS
Georgia claimed its 25th SEC championship last year at Sea Island. The 25 titles are the most of any SEC men's golf team (LSU is second with 15) and also are the most for any Georgia sport, men's or women's. In addition, the Bulldogs have boasted 15 SEC medalists, including 2004 winner Brendon Todd. Georgia traditionally has fared well at the SECs. There was a 10-year gap after the 1988 title, but Coach Chris Haack's squads have since won four of the last seven crowns.
A year ago, the Bulldogs played some of their best golf ever at the SECs. Their first-round figure of 269 ranks as the top loop in SECs history after 18 holes, bettering the 275 established by the 2001 team. The 560 total after 36 holes trails only the 559 established by the 2001 Georgia squad, while the 843 winning total ranks second only to the 2001 team's 841.
Todd and David Denham had first-round 66s a year ago, tying the third-best figure in SECs history. Todd's winning tally of 207 is ninth-best all-time, tying the total Bryant Odom used to win the 2001 medalist crown.
In 2003, Kevin Kisner had an opening-round 67 (which ranked third all-time at that point and currently is sixth, along with Odom's 2001 score), a two-day figure of 136 (which is the record for that category) and a three-round tally of 204 (second all-time to 2003 champ Brett Stegmaier of Florida with a 203).
Additional marks held by Georgia include: 36-hole score (559, 2001) and individual 18-hole score (65, Todd Thompson, 1988). The 283 scores set by the1992 and 1998 teams rank eighth all-time. The 36-hole figures of 564 (2000) and 567 (1998) are fourth and seventh, respectively, while the 54-hole totals of 852 (2000) and 854 (1988) are seventh and eighth. Odom's 36-hole score of 137 is fourth all-time.
