2008 Woodie Awards
Golfer leads UTC to winning tradition
Mychal Thomas
Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: Sports
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That was certainly the case last week as No. 7 UTC tied with Duke University for the lead of the Coca Cola Classic at 22-under par, thanks in no small part to Hodge, a Jefferson City, Tenn., junior who got his first individual tournament win.
Hodge ended with a final score of -12, three strokes ahead of second-place finisher Eric Onesi of Old Dominion University.
Hodge said the win was by far his favorite moment of the season. It was the second-best three-round total of his career.
Hodge claimed the title with rounds of 67 and 70 before closing with another 67 and clinching the win.
According to Hodge, his team was able to see where they really stand against top competition in this tournament, since Duke was ranked number six in the country at the time.
Hodge said he has always loved to play golf and after graduating from Jefferson County High School, he decided to play in college.
He chose to come to UTC because he knew a few players on the team and wanted to improve his game.
"If you love playing golf, it is really easy if you work hard. I've improved a lot because of UTC," Hodge said.
Playing for Mark Guhne, UTC's head coach has also been a high point his collegiate experience, Hodge said.
"When we watch other teams and how they react to their coach, I am thankful that we have a coach who understands and makes us the best that we can be," Hodge said.
According to Hodge, his upbringing has had a profound influence on his game, especially the encouragement of his father.
"My dad was an inspiration," Hodge said. "I learned the most from him."
Hodge started playing golf when he was five years old and has played in competitions since he was nine years old.
"My whole family plays; my brother, father and even my grandparents," he said.
Even with his recent success, Hodge said he is always trying to improve his game to continue to compete at a high level.
The parts of his game he has been trying to concentrate on improving this year are his putting, being more prepared for tournaments and his overall mental aspect of the game, he said.
However, Hodge also said he tries to be a complete golfer rather than trying to concentrate on any particular phase of the game.
"I'm not the best at any one thing; I just try to stay consistent and hit the ball really straight," Hodge said.
One tournament Hodge is looking forward to the most is the upcoming Mason Rudolph Championship in Nashville this Sunday where he anticipates playing teams like Vanderbilt.
