University of Tennessee at Chattanooga golfers Chris Robb and Liam Johnston tied for sixth and 16th, respectively, in stroke-play qualifying at the British Amateur Championship and begin match play today at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. Robb shot a 2-under-par 139 for 36 holes, and Johnston shot 141 (with a first-day 68). They both are from Scotland, as is UTC teammate Ewan Scott, who also was in the tournament but didn't make the low 64 despite a 69 on Wednesday. The Mocs' Andrew Weathers, Stuart Thomas, Wes Gosselin and Kory Webb begin play today in the Greystone Invitational in Birmingham, and Zac Stolz is in the Rice Planters Amateur at Mount Pleasant, S.C.
• Katherine Holmes helped Blakesly Warren give Baylor School the Division II-AA high school state girls' golf championship last fall, but Holmes knocked her former teammate out of the Tennessee Women's Amateur Championship, 2 and 1, in the round of 16 Wednesday at Cherokee Country Club in Knoxville. Holmes had beat Corinna Rees of Nashville 2 and 1 while Warren won 1 up over Lee University's Madison Alexander from Jonesborough in the round of 32. Two other Lee players, just-graduated All-American Courtney Shelton of Franklin and Sam Burrus of Nashville, also are in the championship-division quarterfinals this morning. Burrus plays against UTC's Emily McLennan, who won 4 and 3 over Signal Mountain's Sarah Dolmovich and 7 and 6 over Maryville's Lindy Mae McGuire on Wednesday. Burrus won 4 and 3 over Haley Wagner of Gray and 3 and 2 over Kelli Pemberton of Knoxville, while Shelton won 5 and 4 over Cookeville's Anna Cunningham and 3 and 1 over Soddy-Daisy's Jessica Cathey, who had edged Benton's Lydia Triplett 2 and 1. Top-seeded Kendall Martindale of Jefferson City won 4 and 3 and 6 and 4 in her two matches. Cleveland's Lisa Daubner faces Crossville's Jean Kraft while Charleston's Maggie Scott takes on Cookeville's Viola Greenwood in the first-flight semifinals. Daubner prevailed in 19 holes Wednesday against Franklin's Angelina Chan; Kraft won 3 and 2 over Spring Hill's Anna Horn; Scott won 4 and 3 over Nashville's Angel Cropper. Two other area golfers, Ryann McCuistion and Bonnie Wood, advanced in the second flight. McCuistion got a quarterfinal bye as the top seed and faces Knoxville's Natalie Kratts, who beat Decherd's Stacie Bates 5 and 3. Vonore resident Wood won 2 and 1 over Knoxville's Carol Hornstra and then got a forfeit into the flight final.
Basketball
• Tennessee Mr. Basketball finalist Levi Woods from Meigs County is among the seven Lee University men's basketball signees announced this week by coach Tommy Brown. Woods, whose decision for Lee already had been reported locally, averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in leading Meigs to a 32-5 record and a Class A state-runner-up finish, and he had a 3.1 grade point average. Two other 2013-14 high school standouts, 6-5 forward Issac Merian from Class AAA state runner-up Oak Ridge and 6-9 post Blake Kenrick from David Lipscomb, also are in the NCAA Division II Flames' recruiting class with junior college transfers Lavontay Evans, Cody Farley (as a sophomore), Denard Williams and Elgrin Wilson. "I think this class addresses our need of interior depth and athleticism," Brown said. "Two of our high school kids played in state championship games, and three of the juco players took part in national tournaments." Kendrick, whom Brown plans to redshirt, averaged 15 points and seven rebounds. The 6-7 Wilson and 6-6 Williams come from Walters State, where Evans averaged 14 points and eight rebounds as a freshman and was a captain this past season. The 6-6 Evans averaged nearly 10 rebounds a game for South Georgia State, and Lee assistant Ryan Ross said he "is an absolute warrior. He is a great rebounder with a relentless motor ... and he can guard multiple positions." The 6-9 Farley demonstrated offensive versatility with "good moves and great hands," Ross said, plus good passing and inside and outside shooting in his one season for Wallace State-Hanceville. His coach there was former Flames assistant John Meeks.