Auburn's Northcutt gets one more chance to play

Dothan’s Glenn Northcutt has had a blast during his time as a member of the Auburn University golf team.

“The last four years have been one big highlight,” Northcutt said. “Being with my teammates through thick and thin — it’s really been special, man.”

But there’s still more left for Northcutt, though Auburn’s season has concluded.

Northcutt, the former Houston Academy standout, was selected to play as an individual in the Southwest Regional in Austin, Texas, beginning Thursday. He’s the top individual seed in the tournament, which involves 13 teams and 10 invited golfers.

Auburn teammate Cole Moreland, a sophomore, was also invited to the regional.

Should Northcutt do well on the University of Texas course, he could qualify for the national tournament.

The top five teams and top individual not on one of those five teams in each of the six regionals will advance to the NCAA Championship at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, May 26-30.

“It’s a real tough track, long with big greens,” Northcutt said of the Texas course.

“The last hole is a 535-yard par 4. I’m going to have to go out there, tee it up and hit it long.”

While Northcutt knows it’s a tough task ahead to make the national field, the senior is thankful for the chance after the Tigers finished in last place in the SEC Tournament several weeks ago.

It certainly wasn’t the way Northcutt or the young Auburn team expected to finish the season. Northcutt shot 74-77-77 — 228 in the SEC tourney, which tied him for 47th.

“I’m not going to lie, that was kind of tough,” Northcutt said. “I was probably more disappointed that week than I have been in college golf. I hit the ball well, but I didn’t putt it very well — didn’t put it in the hole.”

Northcutt has a 73.30 stroke average this season — a bit higher from the past two seasons. He was the runner-up at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate last fall — carding a second-day 64 — and recorded four top 10 finishes this season.

As a team, the Tigers struggled all season. Coach Mike Griffin, who has led the program for 25 years, stepped down this past week.

“It shocked me,” Northcutt said. “It was a tough year. We lost six seniors and had a young bunch of guys. We didn’t have the type year we wanted to have.”

While Northcutt has excelled on the course, he’s made the grade in the classroom as well and was Auburn’s male nominee for the SEC’s H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship.

Northcutt is a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, member of the National College Athlete Honor Society and a Golf Coaches Association of America All-American Scholar.

Northcutt is majoring in Marketing and plans to spend one more year at Auburn to finish his degree.

He says the background he received during his years at Houston Academy helped prepare him to balance his time between academics and athletics.

“I think HA and my parents taught me at an early age to be disciplined with my time,” he said. “ You only have so many hours in the day. Being able to manage golf and school has made me a stronger person.”

He’s also been recognized for his contribution off the course in recently being named to the SEC Golf Community Service Team.

Northcutt has worked with children in conjunction with a golf program and has volunteered with the Salvation Army as a bell ringer, along with delivering food to needy families.

“I’ve been fortunate to have had some incredible opportunities since I’ve got up here,” Northcutt said. “I’ve been blessed in so many ways. When you have the opportunity to give back a little bit, that’s the least I can do.”

While Northcutt’s golf career is nearing an end at Auburn, he has hopes of one day making it on a professional tour.

“I’m going to work real hard,” Northcutt said. “There’s some things I have to improve on to take it (golf game) where I need to take it. Hopefully next summer, I will be where I want it to be.

“There’s nothing I want to do more than play professional golf. That would be living the dream, but it’s tough.

“I hope my game is good enough to do it, but if not, I’ve got to have a back-up plan.”

No matter what the future brings, Northcutt says he’ll look back at his Auburn career with fond memories.

“It’s been wonderful to do all this, and it’s also been great to share it with my parents,” Northcutt said. “No regrets. It’s been an incredible learning experience.”