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 WCU signs Caleb Marsh; Matt Cook (pictured) gets national honor. |
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Nov. 17, 2006
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina head men's golf coach Gorham Bradley has announced the signing of Caleb Marsh to a National Letter of Intent. Marsh, who hails from Strawberry Plains, Tenn., is one of the top golfers in his state. Also, it was announced today that current Catamount golfer Matt Cook, a junior from Murphy, N.C. and the nation's top-rated collegiate golfer, was honored twice by Golf World, making its mid-season "All-American" team and being named "Most Surprising Player" in the nation by the publication.
Marsh, who attends Berean Christian independent study school, does not play in high school events but maintains a 3.95 grade point average and will earn his high school diploma this spring. The Knoxville-area product was the 2004 Tennessee Junior PGA Champion and shot 67-72 to win the 2006 Willow Creek Tennessee USJGT in Knoxville. In the Golfweek Titleist Tennessee State rankings, he is rated third, while coming in at 92nd in the nation. In the Junior Golf Score Board Class, he ranks fifth in Tennessee. For his career in American Junior Golf Association events, he has one top 10 finish, three top 15 finishes and six top 30 finishes.
Caleb Marsh's Career Highlights in PDF Format
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"We are very excited with Caleb's decision to attend Western Carolina and expect him to make an immediate impact," Bradley said. Caleb's work ethic and wealth of tournament experience at the national level will be a great addition to our program."
While Marsh has made a mark on the national junior tour, Cook is putting Western Carolina on the national map as well. Cook was one of 12 named to the Golf World mid-season "All-American" team, joining Charlie Beljan (New Mexico, Sr.), Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State, Sr.), Derek Fathauer (Louisville, Jr.), Brian Harman (Georgia, Soph.), Billy Horschel (Florida, Soph.), Dustin Johnson (Coastal Carolina, Sr.), Colt Knost (SMU, Sr.), Niklas Lemke (Arizona State, Sr.), Jamie Lovemark (USC, Fr.), Zack Miller (Stanford, Sr.) and Daniel Summerhays (BYU, Jr.).
Cook, who had three victories in five events during the fall, is currently the top-rated golfer among all collegians. The two-time Southern Conference Golfer of the Month this fall, Cook has a stroke average of 69.33 over 12 rounds. He has only shot over par once in those 12 rounds, carding a one-over 73 in his first 18 holes of the fall season. After that, he was 33 strokes under par over his last 11 rounds.
Last month alone, Cook won both events he played and registered school records in each event. First, he shot a school-record 132 over 36 holes, thanks to rounds of 65 and 67, to win the Liberty/Frank Landrey Invitational. His play at Liberty additionally led Western to a team title as the Catamounts carded a school-record score of 571 over two rounds. Fifteen days later, he shot a WCU 54-hole, school-record 206, thanks to rounds of 68-70-68. For the two events in the month, he was 22 strokes under par over five rounds.
The Catamounts have completed their fall portion of the schedule and will return to action Feb. 19-20, playing in the Presbyterian Intercollegiate.
Click below for the complete Golf World article citing Cook's honors:
GOLF WORLD ANNOUNCES MID-SEASON COLLEGE AWARDS
Click below for the most recent college players rankings:
Golfstat Men's College Cup Standings
