What You Need to Know:
* Following a one year absence, Georgia State will return to one of the premier events in college golf beginning Friday at the Schenkel Invitational.
* Georgia State, currently ranked No. 73 in the country, will square off against eight teams currently ranked in the GolfStat top 50.
* Two years ago, the Panthers finished seventh in Statesboro, shooting a second-round 15-under 273, the lowest score in relation to par in program history.
ATLANTA – Georgia State will face arguably its toughest test of the year when play begins in the Schenkel Invitational hosted by Georgia Southern at Forest Heights Country Club on Friday. A field that includes eight teams ranked in the top 50 in the latest GolfStat rankings await the Panthers in the 54-hole event.
Georgia State, which enters the tournament ranked No. 73 in the country, returns after a one year absence. The Panthers have finished among the top five in the last six events this season and will look to improve upon a seventh-place finish in Statesboro two seasons ago. During that event, the Panthers shot a second round 15-under 273, the lowest score in relation to par in program history.
“We are really looking forward to returning to the Schenkel,” head coach Joe Inman said. “Georgia Southern and Forest Heights put on a first class event every year. This will be by far our toughest tournament of the year, but it will show us how close we are to being able to compete in the NCAA Regional this May. This is a great field and I know our team is up to the challenge.”
The field will include No. 39 UAB, No. 5 Auburn, Boston College, College of Charleston, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Harvard, Iowa, No. 25 Kentucky, No. 16 North Carolina, No. 43 NC State, No. 31 North Florida, No. 15 Vanderbilt and No. 10 Wake Forest.
Senior J.J. Grey will lead a Panthers line-up that will also include junior Nathan Mallonee, sophomores Alexander Herrmann and Max Herrmann, along with freshman Nick Budd. Nathan Williams will compete as an individual for the Panthers this week.
Grey, who finished tied for 22nd in the event two years ago, leads the Panthers with a 72.05 scoring average, including three top-10 and six top 25 finishes this year. Alexander Herrmann stands second on the team with a 72.71 scoring average and is coming off a tie for eighth at the Tiger Invitational earlier this month.
The prestigious event has been won by the likes of Bubba Watson, Scott Verplank, Bob Tway, Hal Sutton, Andy Bean and Curtis Strange. Six U.S. Opens, four PGA Championships, two British Opens and two Masters titles are among the major wins by individuals who have posted a top-10 finish at the Schenkel Invitational during their collegiate careers.
Live scoring can be found throughout the tournament at Golfstat.com. The Panthers will play a practice round on Thursday. First round tee times will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday and continue through the weekend.
Following the event, Georgia State will return to the course March 25-27, at the Furman Intercollegiate hosted by Furman in Greenville, S.C.
