Paul Helle gave a little fist-pump when he said that the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's golf team won its regional and advanced to the national championship.
The head professional at Signal Mountain Golf & Country Club nodded approval upon hearing that the Mocs' Stephan Jaeger earned medalist honors.
After all, Jaeger was the 2011 champion of the Signal Mountain Invitational, and he destroyed the tournament record with a 17-under 196.
But Jaeger, and the current crop of Mocs, Lee Flames and Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs could not participate in the SMI this weekend, leaving the tournament wide open for a winner from the high school or mid-amateur ranks.
The mid-ams have the advantage heading into today.
Chris Schmidt leads the SMI after he shot a 3-under 68 on Friday and a 66 on Saturday to put him at 8-under 134 for the tournament.
"When you tee off here, you think that you'll eat this course up," said Schmidt, a former Moc. "But only Mr. Jaeger has been able to do that."
Matt Robertson shot a 67 on Saturday and trails Schmidt by three. First-round leader Richard Spangler shot a 1-over 72 and trails by three. Philip Guess shot the round of the day with a 6-under 65 and trails by five.
Chattanooga Christian sophomore Scott Stevens is in fifth place at 1 under heading into the final round and representing the contingent that is not eligible to vote.
"I think experience has a lot to do with it," Schmidt said. "Then again, you get experience from doing it the wrong way."
Robertson has plenty of experience playing Chattanooga-area courses. The former Lee golfer used that knowledge to get in contention at the Brainerd Invitational and into the mix this weekend. He said that 13 of the 14 clubs in his golf bag have been working well.
The one that he struggles with is his putter.
"From tee to green my game is as good as it's ever been," Robertson said. "But with a 9-month-old daughter I don't practice, I don't putt and I'd rather watch her grow than make my game better."
Those are defining characteristics of a mid-am.