2019 golf season underway for Lady Devils

Published 1:00 pm Friday, March 8, 2019

TIFTON — Tift County’s Lady Devils are back on the links for the 2019 high school golf season.

“We’re young,” said head coach Rusty Smith, who doubles as Tift County’s athletic director. His team, however, is experienced.

The Lady Devils main roster is composed of Caelan Collins, Gracie Brumfield, Callie West and Maggie Harrelson. Harrelson’s older sister, Kaysie, anchored Tift’s golf team during her four years of high school and now plays for Georgia Southern.

“We lost big sister and gained little sister,” said Smith.

Tift County has one tournament under its belt already in 2019, last week’s Glynn Ryder Cup at Brunswick. Smith said they had a good outing there.

The remainder of the golf schedule begins Monday with the Trojan Invitational at Riverpoint Country Club in Albany. Following that is the Metter Invitational on Mar. 16, the Viking Invitational at Kinderlou Mar. 23, the Dynamite Goodloe Invitational Mar. 25, the Middle Georgia Classic at McRae-Helena Apr. 1, the Lady Packer Invitational Apr. 6 and the Bear Invitational Apr. 8 (at Warner Robins). Tift will host the Lady Blue Devil Invitational Apr. 22 at Spring Hill. The area tournament takes place at Valdosta’s Kinderlou Country Club Apr. 29. State will be at Chimney Oaks Golf Course at Homer May 20-21.

“Our goal is to make state,” Smith said.

The Lady Devils were eighth a year ago at the state meet, which took place at Spring Hill. Brumfield, Collins and West were all on that squad. Collins and Brumfield were additionally on the 2017 squad that qualified for state.