University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Men's Golf Signs Three for 2015-16
11/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss men's golf coach Jerry Weeks announced the signings of Derick Kelting (Amarillo, Texas), Willie Hammond (Southlake, Texas) and Nick Cortez (Hoover, Ala.) to national letters-of-intent for the 2015-16 season.
Kelting is currently a senior at Tascosa High School, where he has played in the No. 1 position since 2011. He is the 17th-ranked player in Texas and by Junior Golf Scoreboard and 24th-ranked by Golfweek. He is the 189th-ranked player nationally by both organizations. He is also a two-time All-District Team Texas 2-5A selection. As a junior, he averaged 72.60 strokes per round
This past year, he won the first qualifier for the United States Golf Association's Junior Amateur qualifier with a score of 145. He also finished in the top-three at the Under Armour/Jordan Speith Championship, posting rounds of 70-78-73. He also participated in the FootJoy Invitational and the Rolex Tournament of Champions. Through 22 rounds this year, he is averaging 74.93 strokes per round.
Kelting won the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Bass Pro Shops/Payne Stewart Championship in 2013, carding rounds of 74-71-68, while also winning the Amarillo Junior City Championship (70-70). That year, he was named to the AJGA HP Junior Scholastic All-American Honor Roll. In 2010, he was named the North Texas PGA West Area Player of the Year, while in 2011, he was named the North Texas PGA Player of the Year. Over the two years, he won 23 of 24 North Texas PGA events that he participated in. Kelting was also a 2011 Junior Ryder Cup Academy selection, while winning the 2010 Amarillo Junior City Championship.
Hammond is currently a senior at Southlake Carroll High School, where, in the last year, he finished second at the Texas 5A Regional Championship, and participated in the Texas 5A State Championship. He is 12th-ranked player in Texas and 124th-nationally by Junior Golf Scoreboard and is also ranked 16th-in Texas and 139th-nationally by Golfweek.
This past year, he played in five AJGA events, earning a two top-ten finishes, including fifth-place at the Goodman Networks Junior, firing rounds of 69-72-69. He also participated in the United States Junior Amateur qualifier, finishing sixth. Hammond also has five top-13 finishes on the Texas Junior Golf Tour, including fifth-place at the Onion Creek.
Cortez is a senior at Evangel Christian School in Hoover, Ala. He is the fourth-ranked player in Alabama and 125th-nationally by Golfweek and ranked eighth in Alabama and 306th-nationally by Junior Golf Scoreboard.
In 12 events this year, he has six top 10 finishes, including winning the All-American Junior Golf Tour's Vanderbilt Legends Club Championship. He also finished second at the Callaway Junior World qualifier, third at the Future Masters, fourth at the Golfweek Junior Tour championship and fifth at the Golfweek International Junior Invitational. In 23 rounds this year, he is averaging 73.34 strokes per round.
"We're very thrilled that these three guys will be joining us," said assistant coach Eddie Brescher. "All three of them have a very long history of success and the junior and high school levels. They have an extensive tournament background at some of the biggest junior events in the nation. We fully expect them to contribute to the program from day one. They all come from great families, and we feel that they will represent both the program and the university in a positive manner."