October means more than just the beginning of fall for LSU men’s golf.
The Tigers will host their fifth annual David Toms Intercollegiate Tournament at the University Club this weekend.
No. 22 LSU will be joined by 11 other schools including No. 25 Houston as play tees off Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and finishes up Sunday afternoon.
After hosting the 2013 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships Regional in May, the Tigers are excited to play three 18-hole rounds of golf in their only home match of the season.
“I think we’re all looking forward to it,” coach Chuck Winstead said. “We’ve played here recently with the regional just this past spring. It’s always fun to be able to sleep in your own beds, stay at home and we’re looking forward to the weekend.”
Each team will play with a group of five golfers throughout the tournament. The top four single-round scores of those five players count toward the team’s overall score.
LSU will have ten golfers in the event with the players not named to the five-man lineup playing as individuals. Their scores will not count toward the team’s finish but are still eligible for the individual title.
With several Louisiana natives comprising the LSU team, competing in Baton Rouge gives family and friends the opportunity to watch the Tigers play.
“Nobody gets to really watch golf because we’re never really home and it’s not often that we have a home event,” said junior Curtis Thompson. “… Your friends and whoever you have around here get to come out and finally watch, so we’re very excited to be here.”
As a team, LSU has won the Toms Intercollegiate three out of its four years of existence. Senior Andrew Presley claimed the individual crown in 2012 and senior Smylie Kaufman tied for second.
Having familiarity with the par-72 course gives the Tigers an advantage but doesn’t necessarily provide learning lessons.
Winstead said LSU knows the course so well that missed shots are just the result of lack of execution. On the other hand, playing uncharted courses challenges the golfers skills as well as their strategy.
Nonetheless, the annual tournament is an event the Tigers anticipate each fall, as LSU alumni often make their way to the University Club for the first weekend of October.
The meet is a tradition the LSU golf program will continue in honor of the University Club course’s co-designer and Tiger great, David Toms.
“When I became the coach here, I tried to look at all the different areas of the program that we could improve upon,” Winstead said. “Clearly our relationship and tie with David Toms is something that this program should always do everything it can do to link itself to David because David is first-class.”