Derek Rende has played The Honors Course more than a time or two.
He’s practice at the site of the 2010 NCAA championship more often than he’s played the nationally-recognized course.
But he’ll never play it again as a Moc.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior from Soddy-Daisy played his last collegiate round of golf on Saturday in the NCAA Southwest Regional.
And he likely won’t be there this week.
“I doubt it,” he said, after the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga finished 12th instead of inside the top-five which would have lead to a tournament to remember for life. “I probably won’t be able to handle that.”
Rende and the rest of the senior class – Fredrik Qvicker, J.T. Clendenin, and Tripp Harris – were part of the core group that established UTC as a player on the national level.
UTC reached the ranking of No. 1 in the country while the seniors were there. They won three straight Southern Conference championships, played in four NCAA Regionals and one NCAA championship.
“It’s been quite an adventure with the guys I started here with and it’s a bond that will last forever,” Rende said. “I’ve been very fortunate through the last four years.”
UTC coach Mark Guhne said the program has been fortunate to have Rende and his classmates who helped shape the future of Mocs golf
“What they helped develop will continue to grow,” Guhne said. “It’s going to be tough for them not the be there.”
But the Mocs are not the only team that missed out on having a large following around the 460-acre paradise envisioned by recently deceased Jack Lupton.
Georgia isn’t coming.
The Bulldogs lost a one-hole playoff in the South Central Regional which means former Baylor School golfer Harris English isn’t coming. But Russell Henley is since he earned medalist honors.
Middle Tennessee State isn’t coming.
Former Rhea County golfer Hunter Green and the rest of the Blue Raiders were sixth, two shots out of fifth in the West Regional.
East Tennessee State isn’t coming.
The Bucs tied for sixth, just one lip-out from a tie for fifth in the East Regional, but Rhys Enoch earned medalist honors so he will be there.
But the Tennessee and Georgia Tech will drive on I-75 and turn off at Exit 11 for a shot at the NCAA championship.
The Vols tied for third in the Southwest Regional and former Baylor golfer Jay Vandeventer, a freshman at UT, had a counting score in two of the three rounds.
The Yellow Jackets were third in the Southeast and finished 18 shots clear of Arizona State and Georgia Southern which tied for fourth.
“We got better every day and we’re moving on,” Georgia Tech coach Bruce Heppler said, after his team shot 8 under on Saturday. “I think this was a good round to go into Chattanooga with.
“If you go on your Internet and look around, there are a lot of good teams going home.”
East Tennessee State, Georgia, MTSU, ETSU are included in that group.
So are the Mocs.