Milton Martin Classic heads big week for area sports fans

Recalling last year, area golf officials and fans may hold their breath when they glimpse this week’s weather forecast, which is currently predicting rain showers on Friday.

The long-range forecast is only calling for a 30 percent chance of precipitation, however, and that is the highest possibility throughout the week -- which should be music to the ears of those at Chattahoochee Golf Club and National Golf Association.

The two entities will pair up again this week to present the Milton Martin Honda Classic, which was upstaged by heavy rains last year and canceled.

This year, however, area fans should get another chance to be a part of professional golf up close and personal, watching competitors who hope to rise through the sport’s ranks to the Professional Golf Association.

The tournament will kick off with qualifying rounds on Monday morning, followed by practice rounds on Tuesday and a pro-am event on Wednesday. Competition will begin on Thursday and conclude on Sunday and all rounds are free and open to spectators.

The NGA has produced a number of top PGA professionals, with its alumni winning 15 majors (which includes the Master’s, British Open, U.S. Open and PGA Championship). Former NGA standouts include Ted Potter -- currently ranked 64th in the PGA -- Chad Campbell and Zach Johnson, amongst others.

This year’s tournament will feature 168 players vying for a $200,000 purse. The NGA wrapped up the Kandy Waters Memorial Classic in North Augusta, S.C., on Sunday.

And there is plenty more going on in northeast Georgia this week, as area prep sports teams continue their march into the heart of the spring season.

On Saturday, Hall County’s track teams will embark on the first Hall County Championship meet in some time. Competing at West Hall, programs from around the county will vie for local bragging rights.

Meanwhile, Buford, Gainesville and North Hall baseball will look to continue their strong starts to the season with key region match-ups, including a return trip to Winder-Barrow for the Red Elephants on Monday.

The area’s soccer teams will also continue with a packed slate that will feature huge showdowns in Region 8-AAAA and 7-AAA. North Hall will play host to Buford on Friday in a big battle for both sets of teams, while Chestatee and Johnson’s boys will grapple in a Class AAAA top 10 battle on Friday at Chestatee -- the Knights are currently No. 3, the War Eagles No. 7.

Flowery Branch will also travel to face Grady on Wednesday, in what should be intriguing battle for the girls program -- the Lady Falcons are looking to bounce back from a tough region loss on Friday against the fifth-ranked team in Class AAAA.

Gainesville’s girls tennis team will also look to stay undefeated after winning this past weekend’s Wildcat Invitational, while West Hall’s boys -- who also won at the Wildcat -- will face a key Region 7-AAA match at North Hall on Wednesday.


AREA SPORTS SCHEDULE, MARCH 18-24

Monday
BASEBALL:
Buford at Banks County
Cedar Shoals at Jackson County
East Hall at Fannin County
Flowery Branch at Clarke Central
Gainesville at Winder-Barrow
Habersham Central at Oconee County
Stephens County at Lumpkin County
West Hall at North Hall
Walnut Grove at Johnson

Tuesday
BASEBALL:
Commerce at Hebron Christian
Lakeview at Pinecrest Academy
Riverside at Rabun County
Towns County at Providence
Union County at Jefferson

SOCCER:
Apalachee at Gainesville
Chestatee at Jackson County
East Hall at Riverside
Hebron Christian at Lakeview
Lanier at Johnson
North Hall at Banks County
White County at Buford


Wednesday
BASEBALL:
Buford at Fannin County
Cedar Shoals at Flowery Branch
East Hall at White County
Habersham Central at East Jackson
Johnson at Walnut Grove
Lumpkin County at Stephens County
West Hall at Banks County

SOCCER:
Flowery Branch at Grady


Thursday
BASEBALL:
Gainesville at Mill Creek
Lakeview at Towns County

GOLF:
Milton Martin Honda Classic at Chattahoochee Golf Club


Friday
BASEBALL:
Athens Christian at Lakeview
Banks County at West Hall
Chestatee at Madison County
Fannin County at Buford
Flowery Branch at Cedar Shoals
Greene County at Union County (doubleheader)
Lumpkin County at Johnson
Oglethorpe County at Riverside
Prince Avenue at Commerce
Stephens County at Walnut Grove
Washington-Wilkes at Rabun County (doubleheader)
White County at East Hall

SOCCER:
Buford at North Hall
Flowery Branch at Clarke Central
Gainesville at Winder-Barrow
Johnson at Chestatee
Providence at Lakeview
West Hall at East Hall
White County at Dawson County

GOLF:
Milton Martin Honda Classic at Chattahoochee Golf Club


Saturday
BASEBALL:
Social Circle at Jefferson

TRACK:
Hall County Championships at West Hall, 9 a.m.

GOLF:
Milton Martin Honda Classic at Chattahoochee Golf Club


Sunday
GOLF:
Milton Martin Honda Classic finale at Chattahoochee Golf Club