Brooke Pancake tees off in this July 20, 2014, file photo.The buzz is building at Black Creek Club.
Head professional Sean Rice said he heard a couple of members mention how two former Baylor School golfers have performed in professional tournaments this week.
Harris English leads the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour, and Brooke Pancake is tied for seventh in relation to par in the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic. She entered the second round owning a one-stroke lead and is competing with husband Derek Rende, a former Soddy-Daisy and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga standout, serving as her caddie.
"There could be a lot of buzz this weekend," Rice said.
Pancake and English spent many of their high school days practicing and playing at Black Creek.
English, who grew up in Thomasville, Ga., graduated in 2007 with four team state championships and the 2005 TSSAA medalist honor. He earned All-America status three time while playing for Georgia before turning professional in 2011.
Pancake, a Chattanooga native, also left Baylor with four team state championships. She also collected four individual titles before graduating in 2008. She moved on to an All-America career at Alabama and sank the winning putt of the NCAA women's tournament in 2012 at the Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn.
She is in her third year on the LPGA Tour. Friday, she was 1 over par through seven holes and 5 under for the tournament at Paradise Island.
At Torrey Pines at San Diego, English shot 68 on the more difficult South Course on Thursday and followed with a 6-under 66 on the North Course Friday.
"It was a lot of fun on a beautiful day here at Torrey Pines," English told the GolfChannel after his round. "I got it rolling. It's hard to make a lot of birdies on the South Course. But the North Course, you can tear up a little more and have more wedge in and hit shots close and make some birdies.
English, ranked No. 70 in the world, needs to win a PGA Tour event or be in the top 30 when the rankings are announced on March 30 in order to earn an invitation to the Masters.
"I've really hit the driver well this week," he said. "It started last week at Phoenix, and it helps to hit it long and straight. When I can put myself in the fairway, it gives me a chance to make birdies."
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP.