Meister Stephan Jaeger leads UTC national bid

photo UTC golfer Stephan Jaeger plays a practice round at Council Fire.

Jaeger's place in UTC golf

• Most individual tournament wins: Four• SoCon Player of Year awards: Three• Individual GolfWeek ranking: No. 10• Career scoring average: 70.97• Best tournament total: 19-under 203• Rounds of par or better: 68• Rounds in the 60s: 29"He's annihilated the record book," coach Mark Guhne said. "It's going to take an awfully incredible person to top his name from the record books."

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's golfers took a break to eat after four of the five chipped in to complete a practice session last Wednesday.

Freshman Liam Johnston joined his teammates on the range after lunch. But senior Stephan Jaeger told Johnston that he could not move on to the next phase of practice until he finished the previous drill.

Jaeger, the senior captain who prepped at Baylor School, has taught his fellow Mocs the proper way to practice and prepare for tournaments. Now they have reached the national championship tournament for the second time in program history -- for the first time as a regional winner.

"All of them can aspire to be as good as Jaeger because they've seen what it takes to get there," UTC coach Mark Guhne said. "He gives the others belief that they can continue their success."

Jaeger, Johnston and three teammates will begin competing for a national championship today at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. UTC will play three rounds of stroke play in a field of 30 teams. The top eight will advance to match play to determine the national champion.

"Stephan goes about his business like a professional," Guhne said of his star who is ranked No. 10 among individual players by GolfWeek. "He's proven to everybody in the country that you can go to Chattanooga, win tournaments, make a name for yourself and become one of the best players in the country."

Bryce Ledford led the Mocs to their first NCAA regional in 2007. Jonathan Hodge led them to their first NCAA championship tournament in 2009.

Despite the accomplishments of Ledford, Hodge and those who played for coach emeritus Reed Sanderlin, it's hard to argue against Jaeger being the best golfer in Mocs history.

"He has something special and it began with a chip on his shoulder," said Ledford, a professional who has the UTC logo stitched on his golf bag. "He wants to prove himself day in and day out. I'm very proud of him.

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"I want to see UTC do well and go as far as they can."

Jaeger, who grew up in Germany, obliterated records set by Ledford and Hodge and other former Mocs.

"I wasn't chasing records, I was just trying to play my best," Jaeger said. "I think I've gotten better every year. That shows you that I've learned, and the record come as a candy afterward.

"Records don't give me the satisfaction of winning a tournament, which is the ultimate for golfers."

Jaeger won the last two tournaments in which he's competed -- the Southern Conference championship and the NCAA South Central Regional.

"Stephan is one of the best student-athletes to ever compete for the Mocs," UTC athletic director Rick Hart said. "He could join [runner] Shannon Wommack as one of the few inducted into the UTC Hall of Fame after only the five-year waiting period.

"His collegiate career already compares to anybody who ever played for UTC. It will be fun to see him make a name for himself as a professional."

Hart would have more fun watching Jaeger or the Mocs win this week in California.

Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP.

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