Coker Set to Tee-Off at Kiawah Island Invitational

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – The Coker men's golf team will be competing in the Kiawah Island Invitational on Monday (Sept. 17) and Tuesday (Sept. 18).

"I'm always excited to start the year at the Kiawah Island Invitational," said head coach Tommy Baker.  "This year's event has an extremely competitive field, which will provide us the early test we need to see where we are as a team. The guys had a great opening qualifier with some of the lowest scores I've seen since I arrived at Coker."

The two-day, Ninth Annual Kiawah Island Invitational will be contested at the 6,875 yard, par-72 Cougar Point Golf Course in Kiawah Island, S.C.  Designed by Gary Player, the course was rated at "4.5 stars" by Golf Digest.  The South Carolina Golf Course Owners Association recently rated the Cougar Point Golf Course the "Golf Course of the Year."

The Kiawah Island Invitational will host five of Coker's best.  Leading the field for Coker is senior Jake Murphy, who had a stroke average of 74 last year, and sophomore Christopher Fuga who averaged a 75.  Also returning for Coker is junior Josh Clay and sophomore Luke Coates, who averaged 76 and 77.  Looking to have an immediate impact for the Cobras is high school standout Nicklaus Kennedy, who won the qualifying round to fill the fifth spot for the Cobras.  

Coker is 1-of-19 participants to compete in the invitational.  Other teams include: Armstrong Atlantic State, Barton, Belmont Abbey, Brevard, Carson-Newman, Erskine, Fairmont State, Georgia College, Georgia Southwestern, Lenoir-Rhyne, Limestone, Mount Olive, Newberry, North Alabama, North Georgia, St. Thomas Aquinas, Tusculum, and USC Aiken.

The tournament will be a two-round 36-hole event (18 each day). Action is slated to get underway at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Monday.