University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Men's Golf Signs Two During Early Signing Period
11/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Nov. 12, 2009
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss men's golf coach Jerry Weeks announced the signing of two golfers to national letters-of-intent for the 2010-11 season, Wednesday morning.
Trent Hillis of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Zach Estep of Lawrenceville, Ga., will join the Golden Eagles
Hillis earned All-State honors in both 2007 and 2008 while earning fourth-place at the 2008 Missouri High School State Championship. In 2008 on the junior circuit, Hillis captured the Future Collegiate World Tour (FCWT) St. Andrews Classic, while taking second-place at FCWT the Mission Inn - Las Colinas Open. Both finishes helped him earn 2008 FCWT Third Team All-American.
Hillis also finished in fourth place at the 2008 Missouri Junior Amateur and sixth-place at the 2009 American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Lockton Kansas City Junior.
"We're excited to have Trent come and join his older brother Tyler," said head coach Jerry Weeks. "Trent is a very gifted player with great physical presence. He has a great understanding of his golf game and knows how to finish."
Estep shot a 71 to lead Peachtree Ridge HS to the Georgia State Championship in 2009, while helping them to a second-place finish in 2008. In 2007 and 2008, he was named to the Gwinnett County Super 6 Team. Estep earned two Top Ten finishes on the AJGA circuit in 2009, including a fifth-place finish at the Ringgold Telephone Company Junior Classic.
Over the last three years, Estep earned eight Top Five finishes on the Southeastern Junior Golf Tour (SJGT), including victories at the 2007 SJGT Championship, the 2007 SJGT Southern Junior and the 2008 SJGT Greystone Junior Classic.
Estep has twice represented Georgia in the Georgia vs. South Carolina Junior Cup matches, as well as being a two-time nominee for the AJGA Scholastic All-American Award.
Added Weeks, "I'm excited to have Zach join us. He has played at the national level and had great success. He is a fierce competitor that has great fundamentals. I feel Zach will step in and make a major contribution to our program immediately. We are excited about both of these young men stepping into our program."
