The LSU men’s golf team begins its season today by playing the Carpet Capital Collegiate Classic at The Farm Golf Course in Rocky Face, Ga.
This is the second straight fall season the Tigers will open at the Carpet Capital. Last season, the Tigers finished eighth out of 12 teams at the event, posting a three-round score of nine-over par.
LSU is part of a field that includes defending NCAA champion Texas, defending tournament champion Auburn Tigers and four other Southeastern Conference teams.
“It’s not like opening up with an easy one,” said LSU coach Chuck Winstead. “The course will test our guys but I think that is good because we need to know where we stand going forward.”
The Tigers are led by junior Andrew Presley, a preseason All-SEC selection who is coming off a strong sophomore campaign where he maintained a 72.5 scoring average.
With former LSU golfer Sang Yi graduated, Presley may be the team’s strongest golfer. Presley struggled in this tournament last season, finishing tied for 50th and posting a 12-over score of 228 for the tournament.
“The course is not that hard, but I didn’t play very well last year,” Presley said. “Hopefully, this time will be much better.”
The Tigers’ lineup after Presley includes sophomores Curtis Thompson and Stewart Jolly, junior Landon Lyons and freshman Zach Wright. Thompson, Jolly and Lyons all played the majority of last season’s tournaments and Wright signed as one of the top junior golfers in the country.
“I think we’re going to do pretty good,” Thompson said. “We have a solid first three or four guys and hopefully that fifth guy will kick in when one of the others won’t.”
The women’s team will also start its season Sunday. The No. 10 Lady Tigers will defend their title in the Cougar Classic at Yeamans Hall Club in Charleston, S.C., in a tournament running through Tuesday.
LSU women’s golf coach Karen Bahnsen’s lineup will consist of senior Katrina Hegge, juniors Lindsay Gahm and Ali Lucas, sophomore Madelene Sagstrom and freshman Nadine Dreher. Only Sagstrom and Gahm played in the tournament last season.
“We’ve got a less experienced team this year,” Bahnsen said. “The tournament has a strong field, so realistically I would be happy with a top five finish.”
