Golf team receives national recognition after going back-to-back

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Golfweek Magazine has recognized Middle Tennessee as its national men's golf Team of the Week in the honor roll section of this week's publication after the Blue Raiders won two tournaments in a six-day span.

Middle Tennessee won the All-American Classic, hosted by Houston, Feb. 26, and it put the finishing touches on a 14-stroke victory at the Ron Smith/USF Invitational last Sunday, marking the first time the Blue Raiders have won consecutive tournaments since the 1997-98 season. Coincidentally, first-year Head Coach Whit Turnbow was a letterman on the 1997-98 team.

"We appreciate the recognition by a national publication that is widely respected in golf circles," Turnbow said. "It is always good when attention comes your way and our guys have worked hard. The thing that stands out to me is how well all five of them have played. Most weeks you get a couple, maybe three or four play well. It is seldom that you have all five play well at the same time. They really put forth a team effort all week long."

The Blue Raiders outdistanced the other 17 opponents at the USF Invitational on the way to the win. They shot 6-under for the tournament and were the only team to finish under par. All five Blue Raiders - Kent Bulle, Chas Narramore, Craig Smith, Jason Millard, and Rick Cochran - were in the red Saturday.

Bulle (4-under), Narramore (2-under) and Smith (1-under) finished in the top 10, while Millard (plus-2) and Cochran (plus-5) were 17th and 28th, respectively.

Middle Tennessee came from behind to win the All-American Golf Classic in Spring, Texas. Millard, a freshman, picked up his first career top 10 finish when he tied for seventh with a 6-over 222. Narramore tied for 10th to give him two top 10 finishes in three spring tournaments.