Monday, March 27
Palm City, Fla.
Texas A&M
at
Valspar Collegiate
TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: Valspar Collegiate Invitational
Mar 26, 2023 | Men's Golf
PALM CITY, Fla. – The No. 14 Texas A&M men's golf team plays its last regular-season road tournament of the season when it tackles the par-71, 7,114-yard Floridian National Golf Club on Monday and Tuesday.
The elite 16-school field includes 13 teams ranked in the Golfstat top 50, including six in the top 10. Texas A&M is the lone SEC school in the field.
The Aggies enter the fray slotted No. 14 across the board in the Golfweek/Sagarin Collegiate Ranking presented by StrackaLine, the Golfstat Ranking and the Bushnell/Golfweek Division Coaches Poll. The Maroon & White have four victories on the 2022-23 campaign, including the Badger Invitational, the Blessings Collegiate Invitational, the Arizona Thunderbirds Intercollegiate and the Louisiana Classic.
Texas A&M fields a formidable lineup for the event led by All-American Sam Bennett. The 2022 SEC Men's Golfer of the Year is joined by William Paysse, Jaime Montojo, Daniel Rodrigues and Vishnu Sadagopan. Michael Heidelbaugh joins the field as an individual.
The Aggies' have posted third places at the tournament three times, including 2014, '16 and '18. Individually, Greg Yates earned medalist honors, shooting three rounds of 67 for a 12-under, 201. Chandler Phillips was runner-up as a freshman in 2016 and placed third in 2019. Other third-place Aggies include Andrew Lister in 2014 and Dan Erickson in 2018.
The 54-hole tournament features two rounds on Monday followed by Tuesday's final 18 holes. Play commences with 7:30 a.m. shotgun starts both days. Players in the Aggies' lineup tee off from holes 5 thru 8 to start the tournament. Heidelbaugh will tee off from hole 18.
A star-studded foursome features Bennett along with Georgia Southern's Ben Carr, whom he bested in match play in the final round of the 122nd United States Amateur Championship last August. The group also features Pepperdine's William Muow, ranked No. 3 in the PGA Tour University Ranking.
Live scoring is available at Golfstat.com.
THE FIELD (GOLFSTAT RANKINGS)
Texas A&M (14)
Arizona State (2)
Texas Tech (3)
North Carolina (4)
Florida State (7)
Pepperdine (9)
Texas (10)
Georgia Southern (18)
Northwestern (26)
Ohio State (34)
Wake Forest (36)
Duke (37)
Houston (48)
Marquette (60)
Minnesota (82)
Lamar (162)
THE LINEUP
Team
Sam Bennett – Senior – Madisonville, Texas
Individual
Michael Heidelbaugh – Sophomore – Dallas, Texas
COURSE
Originally designed by Gary Player, Tom Fazio overhauled Floridian National Golf Club in 2011. The course is renowned as one of the most beautiful and challenging, yet playable tracks in the nation. The immaculate course is maintained by superintendent Eric Swenson.
WEATHER FORECAST
Accuweather.com
Monday: 87/67, warm with clouds and sun, SE 12 mph, gusting to 23 mph, 8% probability of precipitation.
Tuesday: 87/67, clouds and sun with a shower, SE 10 mph, gusting to 21 mph, 55% probability of precipitation.
Weather.com
Monday: 89/67, intervals of clouds and sunshine, S 10-15 MPH, 10% probability of precipitation.
Tuesday: 88/67, intervals of clouds and sunshine, SSW 5-10 MPH, 20% 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 elite 16-school field includes 13 teams ranked in the Golfstat top 50, including six in the top 10. Texas A&M is the lone SEC school in the field.
The Aggies enter the fray slotted No. 14 across the board in the Golfweek/Sagarin Collegiate Ranking presented by StrackaLine, the Golfstat Ranking and the Bushnell/Golfweek Division Coaches Poll. The Maroon & White have four victories on the 2022-23 campaign, including the Badger Invitational, the Blessings Collegiate Invitational, the Arizona Thunderbirds Intercollegiate and the Louisiana Classic.
Texas A&M fields a formidable lineup for the event led by All-American Sam Bennett. The 2022 SEC Men's Golfer of the Year is joined by William Paysse, Jaime Montojo, Daniel Rodrigues and Vishnu Sadagopan. Michael Heidelbaugh joins the field as an individual.
The Aggies' have posted third places at the tournament three times, including 2014, '16 and '18. Individually, Greg Yates earned medalist honors, shooting three rounds of 67 for a 12-under, 201. Chandler Phillips was runner-up as a freshman in 2016 and placed third in 2019. Other third-place Aggies include Andrew Lister in 2014 and Dan Erickson in 2018.
The 54-hole tournament features two rounds on Monday followed by Tuesday's final 18 holes. Play commences with 7:30 a.m. shotgun starts both days. Players in the Aggies' lineup tee off from holes 5 thru 8 to start the tournament. Heidelbaugh will tee off from hole 18.
A star-studded foursome features Bennett along with Georgia Southern's Ben Carr, whom he bested in match play in the final round of the 122nd United States Amateur Championship last August. The group also features Pepperdine's William Muow, ranked No. 3 in the PGA Tour University Ranking.
Live scoring is available at Golfstat.com.
THE FIELD (GOLFSTAT RANKINGS)
Texas A&M (14)
Arizona State (2)
Texas Tech (3)
North Carolina (4)
Florida State (7)
Pepperdine (9)
Texas (10)
Georgia Southern (18)
Northwestern (26)
Ohio State (34)
Wake Forest (36)
Duke (37)
Houston (48)
Marquette (60)
Minnesota (82)
Lamar (162)
THE LINEUP
Team
Sam Bennett – Senior – Madisonville, Texas
- 122nd United States Amateur Champion – 2022.
- 2022 PING All-America First Team.
- 2022 SEC Golfer of the Year.
- Boasts a 69.95 stroke average in 2022-23, including -1.75 vs. par in 20 rounds.
- Owns five career collegiate titles, including the John A. Burns Intercollegiate earlier this spring.
- Last time out – tied for 12th at the Louisiana Classics (8-over, 221)).
- Earned All-SEC First Team and Freshman All-SEC, as well as PING All-America Honorable Mention and GCAA National All-Freshman in 2020.
- Owns a 71.00 stroke average over four tournaments in 2022-23, including earning co-medalist honors at the Badger Invitational.
- Played in 11 tournaments in 2021-22, registering a 72.09 stroke average and seven top-25 finishes.
- Last time out – finished 9th at the Louisiana Classics (7-over, 220).
- Owns a 71.07 stroke average over 14 rounds in 2022-23, including a -0.36 vs. par.
- In fall 2022, placed third in a field of 28 at the Badger Invitational individual tournament with a 1-over 143 at Pleasant View Golf Course.
- Earned SEC Freshman of the Week twice - after an 18th place finish at the Blessings Collegiate invitational and an 8th place finish at the Arizona Thunderbirds Intercollegiate.
- Last time out – earned Louisiana Classics All-Tournament recognition, finishing fourth (4-over, 217).
- SEC Golfer of the Week on Oct. 14 following his win at the Blessings Intercollegiate (11-under 205).
- Owns a 71.00 stroke average in 2022-23, including -0.70 vs. par over 20 rounds.
- Registered a 72.23 stroke average in 10 tournaments in 2021-22, including top 10 finishes at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate (t-4th) and the Louisiana Classics (t-6th).
- Last time out – tied for 15th at the Louisiana Classics (9-over, 222).
- Boasts a 70.21 stroke average in five tournaments in 2022-23, recording top-10 finishes at the Badger Invitational (t-7th) and the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate (t-5th).
- Participated in the 2022 United States Amateur Championship.
- Played in three events in 2021-22, placing 13th at the Washington County Invitational in Hartford, Wisconsin.
- Last time out – earned Louisiana Classics All-Tournament recognition, finishing fourth (4-over, 217).
Individual
Michael Heidelbaugh – Sophomore – Dallas, Texas
- Srixon/Cleveland Scholar All-America – 2022.
- Tied for 12th place with a 4-under, 140 at the Badger Invitational.
- Played in eight tournaments in 2021-22 with a season-best 12th-place finish at the Marquette Invitational.
- Last time out – tied for 45th at the John Burns Intercollegiate (2-under, 214).
COURSE
Originally designed by Gary Player, Tom Fazio overhauled Floridian National Golf Club in 2011. The course is renowned as one of the most beautiful and challenging, yet playable tracks in the nation. The immaculate course is maintained by superintendent Eric Swenson.
WEATHER FORECAST
Accuweather.com
Monday: 87/67, warm with clouds and sun, SE 12 mph, gusting to 23 mph, 8% probability of precipitation.
Tuesday: 87/67, clouds and sun with a shower, SE 10 mph, gusting to 21 mph, 55% probability of precipitation.
Weather.com
Monday: 89/67, intervals of clouds and sunshine, S 10-15 MPH, 10% probability of precipitation.
Tuesday: 88/67, intervals of clouds and sunshine, SSW 5-10 MPH, 20% 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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