MCC golf set for opening round of NJCAA DI National Championship

(HUNTSVILLE, Ala.) - Unseasonably cool temperatures and soggy conditions greeted the participating teams at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail-Hampton Cove in Huntsville for practice rounds at the 2009 NJCAA Division I Men's Golf National Championship.

Among the 24 teams from across the country participating this week is Meridian Community College, who learned their tee times and pairings for the first two rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Eagles, currently ranked as the No. 12 team in the country, will start at 10:20 AM on Tuesday and will be paired with Iowa Western College and Paris (TX) Junior College. In the second round, MCC will start at 9:30 AM on Wednesday and will be paired with Iowa Western and Paris again.

"We have a really good starting time for the first two days," said MCC golf coach, Sean Covich, who has now led the Eagles to two national championship tournament appearances in the past three seasons.

"We're in the middle wave both days which means we'll avoid having to play really early and really late in the first two rounds."

For the final two rounds on Thursday and Friday, Tournament Officials will repair the teams according to score.

"The first two practice rounds (Sunday and Monday) the course was still pretty wet," added Covich.

"But it dried up a bit today and the forecast is for sunny skies with warmer temperatures the rest of the week which will help."

The four-day competition will feature four 18-hole rounds starting Tuesday and ending Friday. The 72-hole national championship is being played on the RTJ-Hampton Cove's River Course at 7,192 yards long and a par 72.

This is MCC's 12th national championship tournament appearance but the program's first Division I national tournament as the Eagles were a member of Division II until this season.

"The boys are playing well," said Covich.

"We've had five consecutive top three team finishes to end the season, so this is the best we've played all season."

Live scoring will be available on www.golfstat.com starting Tuesday.