The Georgia College golf team completed its first tournament Feb. 3-4 under new head coach Ben English.
The Bobcats shot a team total 909 in the 54-hole tournament to finish 9th overall. It marked the first regular season top-10 finish for the Bobcats since the 2022-23 season.
Graduate senior Billy Goddard led the Bobcats with a 218 to finish tied for 10th place. It also was the first top-10 finish for a Bobcat golfer since the 2022-23 season.
Goddard felt good about his performance, noting the spark that English has brought to the team.
“Coach English has brought a new wave of energy and life to this team. He never stops working and is always trying to make us better,” Goddard said. “Coach English is helping our team get better every day. I expect our team to shock some people this year.”
Senior Blane Davis fired a 241 to finish tied at 65th for the Bobcats. Despite not having his best stuff, Davis improved with each round and likes the trajectory of the team.
“Our performance was not what I wanted.
However, we had two good individual performances,” Davis said. “We are moving forward. After knocking some rust off, I am confident myself and the team are only going upward from here.”
Davis also cited upgrades to the team’s facilities a reason for improvements in Bobcat golf.
“We recently had our new simulator finished in the Centennial Center and we have already seen improvements. We are able to practice no matter the weather. We are working our plan and improving our mindset. Coach English is completely invested in making us better,” Davis said.
English was hired Dec. 2, 2024, following the retirement of former head golf coach Jimmy Wilson. English formerly worked with and owned Next Level Golf, a college recruiting service and performance coaching company. English brings a competitive mindset and player development focus to the Bobcat golf program.
The Bobcats are back in action on Feb. 17-18 at the Matlock Collegiate Classic in Lakeland, Fla. The Bobcats host their own tournament, the Bobcat Invitational, on March 17-18, at The Golf Club of Cuscowilla.