TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: The Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational
Oct 12, 2023 | Men's Golf
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The No. 15 Texas A&M men's golf team faces a challenging course and elite field when the Aggies tee it off at The Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational Friday through Sunday.
The 14-team tournament field features seven teams ranked in the Golf Coaches Association of America top 25, including three of the top 10 teams. The Aggies are one of two SEC squads in the field, joined by Tennessee. The combatants also include five teams from the ACC as well as three from the Pac 12 as part of the national flavor converging on the tournament.
The stout field includes six teams that played in the 2023 NCAA Championships, including three squads which advanced to match play. Twelve of the 14 teams played in NCAA Regional competition.
The competitors are slated to play 18 holes each of the three days on the par-72, 7,092-yard Lakeside Course at The Golf Club of Georgia.
The Aggies are headed to the tournament for the seventh consecutive season and the 14th time overall. Ol' Sarge's charges best showing at the tournament came in 2021 with a runner-up finish. They finished third in 2010 and 2019.
Texas A&M's lineup features four returnees, including two 2022-23 PING All-America Honorable Mention performers in Phichaksn Maichon and Daniel Rodrigues. Jaime Montojo and Vishnu Sadagopan are joined by newcomer Aaron Pounds to round out the Aggie fivesome.
The Aggies opened the season with a third-place finish at the Marquette Intercollegiate at Erin Hills. The Maroon & White finished sixth at the SEC Match Play hosted by Jerry Pate and followed with a 3-2 win against No. 12 Tennessee. In its most recent outing, Texas A&M tied for ninth in the loaded 15-team field at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational.
Friday's action starts from No. 10 at 9:15 a.m., paired with Clemson and USC. The Aggies begin Saturday's play from No. 1 at 9:50 a.m. grouped with Northwestern and Wake Forest. Sunday's tee times will based on team standings through the first two rounds.
THE FIELD
Texas A&M (15)
Georgia Tech (3)
Tennessee (5)
Washington (7)
Virginia (14)
East Tennessee State (17)
Duke (22)
Charlotte
Clemson
Northwestern
Pepperdine
USC
UCLA
Wake Forest
THE LINEUP
Team
Daniel Rodrigues – Senior – Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
COURSE
The Lakeside Course is the original circuit at The Golf Club of Georgia. It debuted as the "Best New Private Course" in the United States in 1991. Carved out amidst scenic woodlands, the track is highlighted by rolling terrain and undulating greens. The name is derived from the breathtaking views from holes No. 11 to 14 where golfers trek along the edges of the majestic Lake Windward.
WEATHER FORECAST
Accuweather.com
Friday: 65/57, mostly cloudy with a brief shower or two, E 6 MPH with gusts to 17, 80% probability of precipitation.
Saturday: 76/52, warmer with variable cloudiness, W MPH with gusts up to 28, 25% probability of precipitation.
Sunday: 62/47, cooler with some sun, then clouds; breezy in the afternoon, NW 14 MPH with gusts up to 29, 4% probability of precipitation.
Weather.com
Friday: 64/58, cloudy with occasional rain showers, E 10-15, 40% probability of precipitation.
Saturday: 73/52, partly to mostly cloudy with slight chance of a rain shower, W 10-15 MPH, 24% probability of precipitation.
Sunday: 62/45, partly cloudy skies in the morning give way to cloudy skies in the afternoon, NW 10-20 MPH, 4% probability of precipitation.
For the most up-to-date information on Texas A&M men's golf, follow the Aggies on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The 14-team tournament field features seven teams ranked in the Golf Coaches Association of America top 25, including three of the top 10 teams. The Aggies are one of two SEC squads in the field, joined by Tennessee. The combatants also include five teams from the ACC as well as three from the Pac 12 as part of the national flavor converging on the tournament.
The stout field includes six teams that played in the 2023 NCAA Championships, including three squads which advanced to match play. Twelve of the 14 teams played in NCAA Regional competition.
The competitors are slated to play 18 holes each of the three days on the par-72, 7,092-yard Lakeside Course at The Golf Club of Georgia.
The Aggies are headed to the tournament for the seventh consecutive season and the 14th time overall. Ol' Sarge's charges best showing at the tournament came in 2021 with a runner-up finish. They finished third in 2010 and 2019.
Texas A&M's lineup features four returnees, including two 2022-23 PING All-America Honorable Mention performers in Phichaksn Maichon and Daniel Rodrigues. Jaime Montojo and Vishnu Sadagopan are joined by newcomer Aaron Pounds to round out the Aggie fivesome.
The Aggies opened the season with a third-place finish at the Marquette Intercollegiate at Erin Hills. The Maroon & White finished sixth at the SEC Match Play hosted by Jerry Pate and followed with a 3-2 win against No. 12 Tennessee. In its most recent outing, Texas A&M tied for ninth in the loaded 15-team field at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational.
Friday's action starts from No. 10 at 9:15 a.m., paired with Clemson and USC. The Aggies begin Saturday's play from No. 1 at 9:50 a.m. grouped with Northwestern and Wake Forest. Sunday's tee times will based on team standings through the first two rounds.
THE FIELD
Texas A&M (15)
Georgia Tech (3)
Tennessee (5)
Washington (7)
Virginia (14)
East Tennessee State (17)
Duke (22)
Charlotte
Clemson
Northwestern
Pepperdine
USC
UCLA
Wake Forest
THE LINEUP
Team
Daniel Rodrigues – Senior – Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
- PING/GCAA Division. I All-America Honorable Mention in 2023
- Finished t-4th at the 2023 European Amateur Championship in Parnu, Estonia
- Advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2023 Amateur Championship at Hillside Golf Club in Southport, England
- Owned a 71.13 stroke average in a team-high 39 rounds over 13 tournaments in 2022-23, including -0.21 versus par
- Claimed medalist honors at the 2022 Blessings Collegiate Invitational with a three-round tally of 11-under 206, earning SEC Golfer of the Week
- Earned SEC All-Freshman Team in 2020-21
- Last time out – tied for 57th at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational at 9-over 219 (73-72-74)
- Slated to make his DP World Tour debut October 19-22 in the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande
- Two-time SEC Freshman of the Week in 2022-23, registering a 71.93 scoring average, including 0.57 vs. par in 28 rounds
- Played a key role in Spain's 4-3 victory over Denmark to win the 2023 European Amateur Team Championship in Epilanges, Switzerland – winning the clinching match 2&1
- Made a late charge to finish t-13th at the 2023 European Amateur Championship in Parnu, Estonia
- Qualified for the match play portion of the 2023 Amateur Championship, bowing out in the round of 64
- Last time out – tied for 22nd at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational at even 210 (72-69-69)
- PING/GCAA Division I All-America Honorable Mention in 2023
- PING All-Central Region in 2023
- Won the 2023 Huntsville Toyota Bearkat Invitational with a three-round tally of 11-under 205, including a 67 in the final round
- Carded an average score of 70.29, including -1.03 vs. par, in 34 rounds over 11 tournaments in 2022-23
- Finished t-11th at the NCAA Championships and t-14th at the NCAA Salem Regional
- Capped off string of three consecutive top-three finishes with a third-place showing at the 2023 SEC Championships
- Last time out – tied for 25th at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational at 1-over 211 (71-71-69)
- Twice named an AJGA Rolex Junior All-American and was slotted as No. 1 player in the 2023 recruiting class
- Selected the 2021-22 All-USA Today National High School Boys Golfer of the Year and was finalist for the award in 2022-23
- Ended 2022-23 ranked No. 2 in the PGA high School Golf Association Player Rankings after topping the list in 2021-22
- Advanced to the Round of 32 at the USGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship teamed with Jack Usner in both 2022 and 2023
- Qualified for the 2022 USGA Junior Amateur
- Last time out – tied for 52nd at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational at 8-over 218 (77-70-71)
- 2023 PING All-Central Region in 2023
- Earned GCAA All-America Scholar in 2023 and made the SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll in 2022 and 2023
- Participated in the U.S. Amateur in 2022, coming up just two strokes shy of match play
- Posted three top 10 finishes in 2022-23, including earning All-Tournament recognition at the Louisiana Classics with a t-4th showing
- Carded a 71.03 scoring average, including -0.26 vs. par in 31 rounds over 11 tournaments
- Last time out – tied for 47th at the SEC Match Play hosted by Jerry Pate, finishing even 216 (72-71-73); defeated Tennessee's Lance Simpson in match play at 1UP
COURSE
The Lakeside Course is the original circuit at The Golf Club of Georgia. It debuted as the "Best New Private Course" in the United States in 1991. Carved out amidst scenic woodlands, the track is highlighted by rolling terrain and undulating greens. The name is derived from the breathtaking views from holes No. 11 to 14 where golfers trek along the edges of the majestic Lake Windward.
WEATHER FORECAST
Accuweather.com
Friday: 65/57, mostly cloudy with a brief shower or two, E 6 MPH with gusts to 17, 80% probability of precipitation.
Saturday: 76/52, warmer with variable cloudiness, W MPH with gusts up to 28, 25% probability of precipitation.
Sunday: 62/47, cooler with some sun, then clouds; breezy in the afternoon, NW 14 MPH with gusts up to 29, 4% probability of precipitation.
Weather.com
Friday: 64/58, cloudy with occasional rain showers, E 10-15, 40% probability of precipitation.
Saturday: 73/52, partly to mostly cloudy with slight chance of a rain shower, W 10-15 MPH, 24% probability of precipitation.
Sunday: 62/45, partly cloudy skies in the morning give way to cloudy skies in the afternoon, NW 10-20 MPH, 4% probability of precipitation.
For the most up-to-date information on Texas A&M men's golf, follow the Aggies on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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