No. 2 Bulldogs prepare to host tourneys
PERKINSTON – No. 2 Mississippi Gulf Coast will host two golf tournaments at the same time beginning Sunday.
The MGCCC Fall Invitational, which will start a day early to try to get the tournament in around the bad weather expected from the remnants of Hurricane Patricia, will include 15 teams. The teams will have three days, through Tuesday, to get in 36 holes.
There will also be an MACJC event held simultaneously at Grand Bear Golf Course in Saucier.
The Bulldogs practice there frequently and familiar with the idiosyncrasies of the Jack Nicklaus-designed course. That doesn't necessarily mean everything will be tilted in their favor.
"Seems like in golf, it puts more pressure on kids," Gulf Coast coach Tommy Snell said. "I see that when we go to other places."
Snell said he expects to see coaches from four-year colleges there scouting the field.
The MGCCC Fall Invitational began in 2001. This will be the 13th competition, with the 2005 and 2006 events not held because of Hurricane Katrina.
It will be the first time it will also be an MACJC event, with the league holding fall competitions this year. All the state teams will be competing in the fourth and last conference event of the fall, with the exception of Meridian and Itawamba.
In addition, other schools competing will be Spring Hill, Central Alabama, Wallace State, Darton State, Faulkner State, Andrew College, Abraham Baldwin and Rend Lake.
Mississippi Gulf Coast remains ranked second in the latest Bushnell Golfweek NJCAA Division II Coaches Poll behind defending national champion South Mountain. The poll was released Friday.
