Familiar Turf

University of Memphis second-year golf coach Blake Smart will certainly have the inside track in offering advice to his squad this week as the Tigers play in the Pinetree Intercollegiate set for Monday and Tuesday at Pinetree Country in Kennesaw, Ga.

Smart was the architect in stabilizing a Kennesaw State program which transitioned from NCAA Division II to Division I during his tenure from 2006-2009.

"It will be fun to go back to Kennesaw where I began my Division I coach career," Smart said. "Pinetree Country Club is a course I know well and I hope that helps us in our preparation. It is always nice to go back to a place where you know the town, the restaurants and the lay of the land. Hopefully we can get a little home-team feeling."

The 12-team tournament Is set for 36 holes of continuous play on Monday with the final round scheduled for Tuesday morning. Memphis will play with host Kennesaw State, Lipscomb and Mercer with tee times off No. 1 beginning at 8:45 a.m.

The Kennesaw State Owls have won all three team titles in the tournament which began in 2012. KSU was 19-under for last year's tournament and won the team title by 29 strokes.

In its first two tournaments of the 2015-16 season, Memphis has had a team championship (Memphis Intercollegiate) and also an individual title (Thomas Perrot won last year's WKU Kenny Perry Invitational).

Memphis has been in contention for titles at both of its tournaments played this year. Last week the Tigers finished as runners-up, finishing three strokes back of the team champion at the Kenny Perry Invitational.

"This event is in the middle of a three-week stretch, so it is very important for us to maintain the momentum from our last event and have the opportunity to go into the final round with a chance to win," Smart said.

Smart continues to shuffle the second half of his lineup. With back-to-back, top-finishes finishes for both in the first two events of the fall, Perrot and Lars van Meijel are entrenched as the Tigers top-two golfers. Memphis' five player team for this week is rounded out by Sydney Chung, Eithel McGowen and Chase Harris.

The Tigers will close out the fall season next week at the Quail Valley Collegiate in Vero Beach, Fla.

University of Memphis Athletics

Players Mentioned

Sydney Chung

Chase Harris

Lars van Meijel

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