TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: Valspar Collegiate Invitational

Monday, March 25

Palm City, Fla.

Texas A&M

Valspar Collegiate

Photo by: Ethan Mito/Texas A&M Athletics

Mar 24, 2024 | Men's Golf

Tournament Notes - Valspar Collegiate

The Aggies take on the famed Floridian National Golf Club Monday and Tuesday

By: Thomas Dick, Texas A&M Athletics Communications

PALM CITY, Fla. – The No. 23 Texas A&M men's golf team plays its last regular season road tournament when it tackles the par-71, 6,943-yard Floridian National Golf Club at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational Monday and Tuesday.

The elite 16-school field includes 14 teams in the Clippd College Golf Rankings top 50, including 11 top 25 teams and five top 10. Alabama, Arkansas and Vanderbilt join Texas A&M as the four SEC squads in the field. Future SEC members Oklahoma and Texas are also combatants. The ACC is represented by four teams, including Duke, Florida State, North Carolina and Wake Forest.

The Aggies enter the fray slotted No. 23 in the Clippd rankings and No. 22 in the Bushnell/Golfweek DI Coaches Poll.

Texas A&M rolls into the tournament with the same starting lineup it used to win the Louisiana Classics two weeks ago. Phichaksn Maichon is coming off winning the Classics with a tournament record 18 strokes. Daniel Rodrigues also earned All-Tournament recognition at the event. They are joined by Michael Heidelbaugh, Jaime Montojo and Vishnu Sadagopan. Aaron Pounds is entered in the tournament as an individual combatant.

The Aggies have posted third place finishes at the tournament three times, including 2014, '16 and '18. Individually, Greg Yates earned medalist honors in 2015, 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 teams play 36 holes Monday with a shotgun start at 7:3 a.m. The final round features a shotgun start Tuesday at 7:30 a.m.

Live scoring is available at Golfstat.com.

THE FIELD (CLIPPD RANKING – March 20)
Texas A&M (23)
North Carolina (1)
Vanderbilt (3)
Arizona State (4)
Alabama (6)
Texas Tech (9)
Florida State (11)
Arkansas (13)
Oklahoma (14)
Texas (18)
Duke (25)
Ohio State (26)
Wake Forest (36)
South Florida (47)
Houston (61)
Lamar (125)

THE LINEUP
Team
Daniel Rodrigues – Senior – Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

Enters the tournament with top 10s in five of his last six tournaments, including three top 5s.
Ranks 73rd in the Clippd Collegiate Player Rankings with a 26.94 average weighted points.
Owns 69.3 adjusted stroke average and 548-121-26 W-L-T on the season.
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.
Won the 2022 Blessings Collegiate with a three-round tally of 11-under 206, earning SEC Golfer of the Week.
Last time out – finished t-4^th at the Louisiana Classics with a 6-under 210 (70-72-68).

Phichaksn Maichon – Junior – Bangkok, Thailand

PING/GCAA Division I All-America Honorable Mention and PING All-Central Region in 2023
Ranks 12th in the Clippd College Player Rankings with a 46.70 average weighted points.
Owns 68.8 adjusted stroke average and 600-140-25 W-L-T on the season.
Won the 2023 Huntsville Toyota Bearkat Invitational with an 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 – won the Louisiana Classics, tying the tournament record with an 18-under 198 (64-69-65).

Michael Heidelbaugh – Junior – Dallas, Texas

Owns a 71.0 adjusted stroke average on the season in 24 rounds.
Has moved up 134 spots in the clipped ranking since they debuted on January 17.
Sports a 392-263-36 head-to-head W-L-T in 2023-24.
Registered a 71.36 scoring average, including -0.43 vs. par in 2022-23.
Earned a spot on the 2023 SEC Community Service Team.
Picked up Srixon/Cleveland All-America Scholar (2022) and GCAA All-America Scholar (2023) the last two years.
Recorded top 12 finishes at the Badger Invitational and Arizona Thunderbirds Intercollegiate in 2022-23.
Last time out – finished 18^th at the Louisiana Classics, posting a 1-over 217 (72-70-75).

Jaime Montojo – Sophomore – Madrid, Spain

Owns a 69.8 adjusted scoring average with a 451-214-16 head-to-head W-L-T in 2023-24
Made DP World Tour debut Oct. 19-22 at 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 – finished 10^th at the Louisiana Classics with a 3-under 216 (70-71-72).

Vishnu Sadagopan – Junior – Pearland, Texas

Owns a 72.1 adjusted stroke average for 2023-24.
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 '23.
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-4 showing.
Carded a 71.03 scoring average in 2022-23, including -0.26 vs. par in 31 rounds over 11 tournaments.
Last time out – finished t-18^th at the Louisiana Classics with a 1-over 217 (75-72-70).

INDIVIDUALS
Aaron Pounds – Freshman – The Woodlands, Texas

Twice named an AJGA Rolex Junior All-American and was slotted No. 1 player in the 2023 recruiting class.
Selected the 2021-22 All-USA Today National High School Boys Golfer of the Year; finalist for the award in 2022-23.
Ended 2022-23 ranked No. 2 in the PGA High School Golf Association Player Rankings after topping list in 2021-22.
Advanced to Round of 32 at the USGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship teamed with Jack Usner in both 2022 & 2023.
Qualified for the 2022 USGA Junior Amateur.
Sister - Haley Pounds was a two-time All-SEC Second Team soccer player at Texas A&M; Sister - Taylor Pounds is entering her fifth season on the Texas A&M soccer team, having started 69 matches in the first four.
Last time out – vaulted 26 spots in the last round of the Louisiana Classics to finish 26^th at 2-over 218 (73-75-70).

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: 78/67, partly sunny and breezy, E 13-15 MPH, gusts up to 30 MPH, 25% probability of precipitation.
Tuesday: 82/65, partly sunny and breezy, SE 13-15 MPH, gusts up to 25 MPH, 0% probability of precipitation.

Weather.com
Monday: 78/67, intervals of clouds and sunshine, E 10-20 MPH, 6% probability of precipitation.
Tuesday: 83/66, sunshine and clouds mixed, SE 10-20 MPH, 7% probability of precipitation.

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