June 25, 2008
COLLEGE STATION, Texas- Jonathan Dismuke has been named assistant men’s golf coach at Texas A&M, Head Coach J.T. Higgins said Wednesday.
Dismuke replaces Chris Gougenheim, who accepted a job with a Dallas insurance agency last month. A former standout golfer at Auburn, Dismuke served as an assistant coach at Mississippi for the last two years. He was a finalist for the 2008 Jan Strickland Award as the nation’s top assistant coach.
“Jonathan was everything we were looking for in an assistant coach and we are very excited that he is joining our staff,” Higgins said. “He has proven himself to be an outstanding recruiter who can help us attract the best players in the state of Texas as well as from across the nation. He has a tremendous amount of energy, passion and enthusiasm for the job and relates well to the kids. Jonathan also has played at the highest levels of collegiate golf as well as professionally. He is quickly building a strong reputation as a wonderful teacher who can help us develop our players to their utmost potential.”
A native of Calhoun City, Miss., Dismuke has a decorated golf background. He was the 1997 Mississippi State Junior Champion and 1998 Mississippi Junior Player of the Year.
A four-year letterman at Auburn from 2001-04, Dismuke competed in four NCAA Regionals and three NCAA Championships. The Tigers won the SEC Championship in 2002. Dismuke’s individual career was highlighted by numerous top-five showings, including a tie for third at the 2004 NCAA East Regional. He also earned All-SEC honors and made the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2004.
Dismuke received his Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Auburn in 2004.
Dismuke’s amateur career includes a victory at the Greystone Invitational in Birmingham, Ala., where he set the competitive course record with a 65 and the tournament scoring record at 14 under par. He also set the course record at Mobile (Ala.) Country Club with a 63 en route to a third-place finish at the 2003 Labor Day Invitational. Dismuke qualified for the 1999 USGA U.S. Public Links Championship and the 2002 and 2004 U.S. Amateurs.
He played two years of professional golf on the NGA Hooter’s Tour and received the 2005 NGA Golf Achievement Award. He attended the PGAS Tour Qualifying School in 2004 and 2005.
“I’m very excited to be a part of the A&M golf program,” Dismuke said. “I’m looking forward to working with J.T. and helping this program build on its recent success.”
Gougenheim served as Higgins assistant at A&M for six seasons and was a finalist for the Strickland Award in 2007. He previously was the administrative assistant for the women’s basketball program for three years,
“We will really miss Googs,” Higgins said. “He has been instrumental in building this team into a national caliber program. He has been my wing man and a great friend through good times as well as the tough times. Chris is one of the most selfless people I have ever known and that’s why he was so successful in this position. He was only interested in doing what was best for the team. I know he is excited about the new opportunities in front of him and we all wish him the best in his new life in Dallas and thank him for his dedication and commitment to Texas A&M and Aggie Golf.”