After a runner-up finish at the Louisiana Classic during the Mardi Gras break, the LSU men’s golf team will hit the road again this weekend for the Schenkel Invitational at Forest Heights Country Club in Statesboro, Ga.
The No. 11 Tigers have yet to play a home tournament this spring, and the Schenkel Invitational marks the team’s third road trip in three weeks.
Senior All-Americans John Peterson and Andrew Loupe will anchor the five-man LSU squad against a field that includes four teams ranked in the GolfWeek Top 25.
“[Peterson and Loupe] along with Ken Looper have been the players who have consistently performed at a high level, so I would expect John and Andrew to deliver more quality rounds for us on a difficult course this weekend,” said LSU coach Chuck Winstead.
However, the Tigers will take on Southeastern Conference rivals No. 4 Florida and defending event champion No. 14 Auburn, among others, without Looper, who is nursing a back injury.
“[Ken’s] got an issue with his back that we’re being very careful with, so the decision was made to keep him out of this tournament,” Winstead said.
Winstead said Looper’s absence will hurt, but it will give some players like juniors Austin Gutgsell and Sang Yi a chance to step up their games.
“We need more consistent play from the back half of the lineup,” Winstead said. “So this weekend is a great opportunity for guys like Austin and Sang to show where their game is right now and take steps toward earning postseason spots in the lineup.”
LSU has experience in the Schenkel Invitational, as four of the five Tigers in the lineup competed in the event last year when the team finished ninth overall.
Winstead said the Tigers will need to play smarter around Forest Heights’ small, undulating greens to improve their finish this time around.
“I’ve talked to the guys about putting their egos aside, especially in their approach shots to the greens and picking their spots to attack the course more carefully,” Winstead said.
Freshman Andrew Presley has become a key contributor for the Tigers in recent events, as his final-round 70 at the John Hayt Invitational and tie for 25th at the Louisiana Classics have caught Winstead’s attention.
“The main thing Andrew needs from this tournament is the experience,” Winstead said. “He has struggled a bit on the greens, so he needs to read greens better, lag putt better and make more putts inside of 10 feet, all of which will come with experience.”
 
 
____
Contact Chris Abshire at [email protected]