UTC golfer Emily McLennan practices Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, at First Tee Practice Facility in Chattanooga.Emily McLennan is a native of Australia. But since joining the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's golf team, she's made the Scenic City her second home. She hasn't been back to Australia in more than a year.
Due to the fact that she plays for a school in Tennessee, McLennan is eligible to participate in Tennessee Golf Association events.
And win them. And also win the TGA women's player of the year award, as she did last week.
"I was waiting for them to tell me, 'You're not from Tennessee, so you can't play here,'" McLennan said. "I go to school here, and I have so many connections in Tennessee, this really is my second home.
"But I don't really sound like I'm from Chattanooga."
Still, she won the Tennessee Women's Amateur title over Kendall Martindale of Vanderbilt by a score of 3 and 2 over the summer. McLennan also was the medalist at the Southern Conference tournament in May. And she's a WGCA All-American scholar and has been on the All-SoCon teams in both of her full seasons.
"If you look back at what Emily has achieved, it's really awesome," UTC coach Colette Murray said. "It's great for her; it's great for the program. It's a huge achievement. Chattanooga is definitely on the map."
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP.