MCC Golf inks Louisiana, Mississippi prep stars

(MERIDIAN) – The Meridian Community College golf team has placed in the top-five at the NJCAA national championship three consecutive seasons, and recruits are taking notice, as three of the top players in the Gulf States region inked with the Eagles Wednesday.

Tanner Sparks of Belmont, MS; Garrett Westbrook of Baton Rouge, LA; and Cory Williamson of Collins, MS all signed national letters of intent to join MCC head golf coach Sean Covich and his program beginning in the 2008-09 academic year.

“I am extremely pleased to have Tanner, Garrett and Cory join the Meridian tradition,” Covich said. “I fully expect them to excel in their academics and athletics. They are also great young men and will be great additions to our program.”

Sparks, who is a senior at Belmont High School, is the cousin of current MCC golfer- Curt Sparks and brother of current Southern Miss golfer- Tyler Sparks.

He helped guide Belmont to back-to-back MHSAA 2A State Championships in golf. He was named second team All State and first team All County two years in a row.

As a junior, he was named the Most Valuable Golfer for Belmont High School after winning the Five County District Tournament shooting even par, 72.

In 2007, he played in eight junior tour events across the Southeast, placing in the top-15 in six of those events.

At the Callaway Golf/PGA Junior Series event at Old Waverly, he placed 8th out of 64 golfers shooting rounds of 79-77. Later that summer he placed 25th at the Future Tour Championship in Greenville, MS shooting rounds of 76-76.

In 2006, he placed 5th at the Mississippi Big "I" Junior Classic shooing rounds of 74-74 at the MSU Golf Course in Starkville, MS.

He qualified for the Mississippi Golf Association’s State Match Play Championship and was the 5th seed after a qualifying score of even-par 72. He eventually lost to 2005 State Mid-Amateur Champion, Todd Metz in the “Sweet Sixteen” round.

“Tanner comes from a golfing family,” said Covich. “His two cousins both played college golf and his brother is playing for USM now. He is starting to find his swing and certainly is capable of being in our top five by the end of next season.”

Westbrook, who is a senior at St. Michaels High School in Baton Rouge, is a two-time Metro Player of the Year (Baton Rouge).

Last year as a junior, he averaged 72.8 and was the Region 4A champion shooting even-par 72 at Oak Harbor in Slidell, LA.

Last summer, he qualified for the Trusted Choice Big "I" Junior Classic in Boise, ID after winning the Louisiana State qualifier. In the national event he shot 75, 74, 76, and 80 to finish 32nd out of 110 golfers from across the nation.

Last summer he also received an invite to the prestigious Press Thornton “Future Masters” Golf Tournament in Dothan, AL where he made the cut shooting rounds of 75, 76 and 74.

On the Arrowhead Junior Golf Tour, he captured the Koasati Pines Junior Classic in Kinder, LA last April with rounds of 72-76 and also tied for fourth at the Stanford Group Junior Classic in Zachary, LA last March shooting even-par for the 36-hole event (72-72).

As a sophomore, he fired a 5-under par 67 at Beaver Creek CC to claim runner-up in the Baton Rouge Metro High School Championship.

He is also a two-time member of the Louisiana Junior Cup team.

“Garrett has an impressive tournament resume and comes to us with a lot of playing experience,” said MCC head coach Sean Covich. “He also possesses a drive to succeed on the course that is essential in making it as a college golfer.”

Williamson, who is a senior at Simpson Academy in Collins, MS, is a four-time member of the Mississippi Junior Cup Team.

He has lettered in golf for Simpson eight straight seasons, also playing basketball for five, football for four and baseball for two.

He has won three medalist titles in his high school career, including the 2006 and 2007 MPSA North State championships. He shot 71 in both his sophomore and junior seasons.

He has posted nine career top-five finishes in MPSA High School golf, with five rounds at even-par or better (72, 72, 71, 71, 71).

As a standout on the MJGA Tour, he has collected seven career wins, including the 2005 MJGA Northwood event in Meridian. He shot even par (71-71) to win.

In 2005, he finished second at the Callaway Golf/PGA Junior Series Event at Mississippi State, shooting 73-74-74.

“Cory is perhaps one of the more naturally talented golfers I’ve ever seen,” said Covich. “No doubt he will end up at a four-year school playing golf after his career at MCC is over.”

The Eagles, currently ranked No. 7 in the NJCAA men’s golf poll, open up the spring season by playing in the Arizona Intercollegiate in Phoenix, AZ on February 18-19.