Bud Cauley Earns Berth into 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional

June 7, 2011

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Former Alabama golfer Bud Cauley will make his professional debut at the 2011 United States Open at Congressional Country Club next week after shooting 67-65 in his sectional qualifying event in Tunica, Mississippi, on Monday.

Cauley, a native of Jacksonville, Fla., and a three-time first-team All-American at Alabama, joined South Korea's Sunghoon Kang atop the leader board at 12-under-par 132 in one of the most difficult sectionals in the country at Tunica (Miss.) National Golf Club. It is the first time Cauley has qualified to play in the U.S. Open.

"That all really hasn't sunk in yet," Cauley told the Florida Times-Union. "What's important is I'm going to play in my first major championship. I'm pretty happy with how I'm playing right now."

Cauley finished his Alabama career as the school's first three-time first-team All-American and its career leader in scoring average at 71.39.

He was also a three-time first-team All-SEC selection, a three-time Ben Hogan Award semifinalist and a finalist in 2010. He played for the United States in the 2009 Walker Cup and won four-career tournaments with the Tide.

Along with Cauley and Kang, 10 players qualified for the U.S. Open, including PGA Tour pros Sergio Garcia (135), Brian Gay (135), Chad Campbell (135), Briny Baird (135), Andres Gonzalez (133), Michael Putnam (133), Scott Piercy (133) and Fredrik Jacobson (134). Players failing to qualify out of the Tunica Sectional Qualifier, include two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen and 2002 PGA Championship winner Rich Beem along with PGA Tour pros Chris Dimarco, Boo Weekly, Joe Durant and Bob Estes.

Cauley is the first Alabama player to qualify for the U.S. Open immediately following his Alabama playing career since Michael Thompson in 2008. Thompson was the runner-up in the 2007 U.S. Amateur, which qualified him for both the 2008 Masters and U.S. Open. Thompson was low amateur at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in 2008.

The Tennessee Lady Vol golf team Finishes Season Ranked 10th

May 26, 2011

By Zach Stipe, Media Relations Assistant

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Lady Vol golf team wrapped up the 2010-11 campaign slated No. 10 in both the final Golfstat rankings and the Golfweek ratings released this week. The Big Orange also finished No. 12 in the final Golf World/NGCA Coaches Poll released earlier this month.
The Lady Vols had a tremendous season under 11th-year head coach Judi Pavon, advancing to the NCAA Championships for the third year in a row, winning two tournaments and producing a First Team All-American.
The Big Orange compiled a staggering 131-61-3 head-to-head record and set the school record for lowest team stroke average in relations to par at (8.47).
Tennessee captured the Mercedes-Women's Collegiate Championships title by 20 strokes in a Lady Vol 54-hole record-low score of 15-under 849 in October and nabbed first-place at the Rebel Intercollegiate by a whopping 30 strokes (8-under 863) in April.
A second-place finish at the NCAA West Regional carried UT to the NCAA Championships, where the Lady Vols placed 13th and were led by sophomore Erica Popson's 14th-place performance.
Popson, a Davenport, Fla., native had one of the finest seasons ever by a Lady Vol, capturing First Team All-America honors from the NGCA, First Team All-SEC accolades and nabbing first-place in four consecutive tournaments in the spring, including medalist finishes at the SEC Championship and West Regional, where she won by five strokes.
Her stroke average of 72.19 set a Lady Vol record, while her 16 par or better rounds tied the UT single-season mark. She led the nation in par-5 scoring (4.67) and finished at No. 3 in the Golfstat Cup individual rankings. Her four wins this season are already a Lady Vol career record.
Another top-10 final ranking appears likely for the Lady Vols next season as UT is expected to return all five players from its postseason lineup. In addition to Popson, the Orange and White will welcome back rising senior and two-time All-American Nathalie Mansson, rising junior Sara Monberg and rising sophomores Kaitlyn Rohrback and Chessey Thomas.