Frankie Lee, Jr. - Contributing Writer

The Morehouse College golf team is currently preparing to face Bethune-Cookman University during Morehouse and Spelman’s Homecoming week. The golf team has already competed in two tournaments this semester and a number of players feel confident about their chances in this upcoming competition.

"We are looking forward to winning this tournament, and I believe we have the opportunity to win every tournament with the team we have this year,” said team captain junior Phillip Allen.

Their coach, William Lewis, a professional golfer who once played on the PGA tour, shares Allen's high expectations.

“We expect to win, we have the best team in the conference. We expect to win all the time,”  Morehouse junior Mark Coleman said.

Allen said, “We are not worried. We have a solid team. I think we are the best in every golf tournament we play in.”

The team finished fourth out of nine teams in the Alabama State University Fall Golf Classic last month. Birmingham State University placed first, Savannah State placed second and Faulkner finished third.
At the classic, Allen, who was the SIAC tournament and Morehouse MVP in 2007-08, shot 76-71—147 and finished tied for third place overall with three other players from Birmingham Southern University. Sophomore Olajuwon Ajanaku shot a 6-over par 77-73 – 150 and finished the tournament second for Morehouse and tied for 12th place overall.
Bryan McElderry finished third place for Morehouse and tied for 20th overall, with an 8-over par 75-77 – 152. Thaddeus Hill shot a 14-over par 77-81—158 and placed fourth for Morehouse and tied for 32nd overall. Mark Coleman-Marbry shot a 20-over par 79-85 – 164 and placed fifth for Morehouse and tied for 40th overall.

The Maroon Tiger golf team is active in community service as well. The team participates in the First Tee program at the John A. White Golf Course that gives young people of all backgrounds an opportunity to expand life-enhancing values, including confidence, perseverance and judgment through golf and character education.

“We are very involved in community service. Saturday mornings we teach young kids the fundamentals of the game through the First Tee Program,” Coleman said .

The Maroon Tigers golf team is scheduled to compete against Bethune-Cookman from Oct. 24-26 in Daytona, Florida.

Published: October 15, 2008 11:22 AM