THE FLATS – Georgia Tech’s golf team, preseason ranked No. 17, opens its 2021 fall schedule this weekend with the Maui Jim Intercollegiate in Scottsdale, Ariz. The tournament kicks off a four-event fall slate that will take the Yellow Jackets to Arizona, Chicago, Long Island and back home to Atlanta.
Head coach Bruce Heppler’s 27th Tech team returns four of five starters from the unit that recorded a top-15 finish at last year’s NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, led by senior Ben Smith (Novi, Mich.) and junior Connor Howe (Ogden, Utah).
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION – The Yellow Jackets are competing in the Maui Jim Intercollegiate for the fourth time, having won the tournament in 2018 following finishes of sixth and second the two years prior. Georgia State hosts the 16-team event, which will be 54 holes beginning Friday and concluding Sunday. The tournament will be played at Mirabel Golf Club, a 7,081-yard, par-70 layout in Scottsdale, Ariz., in the same vicinity as Grayhawk Golf Club, site of the NCAA Championship last spring and in each of the next two years.
The tournament will utilize a split-tee format for all three rounds, beginning at 11 a.m. Eastern time Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. ET Sunday.
Participating teams include Georgia State, Arizona, Augusta, Clemson, Auburn, Alabama, Cal, Colorado State, Denver, Georgia Tech, Louisville, New Mexico, Oregon, San Diego State, Utah, and Washington. Four of the 16 teams competed in the NCAA Championship last year, while another eight competed in NCAA Regional play. Auburn, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest are ranked in the Bushnell/Golfweek Preseason Coaches top 25.
Ross Steelman, a transfer from Missouri, reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur in August. (photo by Clyde Click)
ROSTER OUTLOOK – Georgia Tech finished the 2020-21 season ranked No. 24 in Golfstat and No. 25 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Index, completing a steady rise with a team that relied on several inexperienced players. The Yellow jackets eventually finished fifth in the ACC Championship, one stroke shy of advancing to match play, and finished third in the NCAA Tallahassee Regional before landing in 15th place at the NCAA Championship.
From that experience, Tech now has a veteran core group that includes Smith, Howe, sophomore Christo Lamprecht (George, South Africa) and junior Bartley Forrester (Gainesville, Ga.). The Jackets also have added a well-traveled transfer from Missouri in Ross Steelman (Columbia, Mo.), a two-time collegiate winner who reached the quarterfinals of the 2021 U.S. Amateur, and a talented freshman in Benjamin Reuter (Naarden, The Netherlands), who reached match play at the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur and is the 2021 Dutch National Champion.
Depth comes from juniors Luka Karaulic (Dacula, Ga.) and Andy Mao (Johns Creek, Ga.), who played in eight events and combined for 24 rounds last spring, as well as sophomores Adam Bratton (Newburgh, Ind.), who played in one event last spring, and Aidan Kramer (Oviedo, Fla.).
TECH LINEUP – Tech’s five-man lineup for the opener includes Smith and Howe, who finished far ahead of the field in the team’s 72-hole qualifying tournament – 21-under-par and 17-under-par, respectively – at the Golf Club of Georgia. Reuter, the freshman, came in third at 11-under-par, while Lamprecht (-7) and Steelman (-6) also made the lineup. Forrester (-4), who has one collegiate win from the 2019-20 season under his belt, and Kramer (-2), who won the Yamaha Atlanta Open last spring and is making his collegiate debut, will compete as individuals.
Here’s a quick look at the Yellow Jackets competing this week…
Ben Smith (Senior, Novi, Mich.) – Enters the fall No. 53 in the PGA Tour University ranking … T-8 at Monroe Invitational, T-10 at Northeast Amateur last summer … Tied for eighth at the NCAA Tallahassee Regional, and tied for ninth at the Calusa Cup last spring
Connor Howe (Junior, Ogden, Utah) – Enters the fall No. 67 in the PGA Tour University ranking … T-5 at the Southern Amateur, T-7 at the Monroe Invitational and T-11 at the Dogwood Invitational in the summer … Solo ninth place at the ACC Championship last spring, and tied for 10th at the Amer Ari Intercollegiate
Benjamin Reuter (Freshman, Naarden, The Netherlands) – Won the Dutch National Championship and reached match play at the U.S. Junior Amateur last summer … Ranked No. 221 in World Amateur Golf Ranking, No. 100 in European Golf Ranking
Christo Lamprecht (Sophomore, George, South Africa) – Tallest player ever in Tech program at 6-foot-8 … Finished last spring as Tech’s highest ranked player at No. 78 (Golfstat) … Led team in stroke average (71.67) and posted four top-10 finishes, including a T-5 at the NCAA Tallahassee regional and T-3 at Calusa Cup … T-16 at the Monroe Invitational, T-17 at the Dogwood Invitational last summer
Ross Steelman (Junior, Columbia, Mo.) – Second-team All-Southeastern Conference last spring, ranked No. 28 national ranking in Golfstat … Tied for third at the NCAA Noblesville Regional … Reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur last summer … T-3 at the Monroe Invitational, T-11 at the Northeast Amateur … Won two college events while at Missouri
Bartley Forrester (Junior, Gainesville, Ga.) – Made the travel team for the 2021 NCAA Championship … Qualified for the 2021 U.S. Amateur and posted a T-20 at the Monroe Invitational last summer … High finish last spring was T-18 at the Amer Ari Intercollegiate … Co-medalist the 2020 Puerto Rico Classic
Aidan Kramer (Sophomore, Oviedo, Fla.) – Playing his first collegiate event … Won the 2021 Yamaha Atlanta Open and tied for 26th at the 2021 Georgia Amateur Championship … T-13 at the GCAA Summer Amateur Series event in Raleigh, N.C.
Head coach Bruce Heppler
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH GOLF
Georgia Tech’s golf team is in its 27th year under head coach Bruce Heppler, winning 65 tournaments in his tenure. The Yellow Jackets have won 18 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships, made 29 appearances in the NCAA Championship and been the national runner-up four times. Connect with Georgia Tech Golf on social media by liking their Facebook page, or following on Twitter (@GTGolf) and Instagram. For more information on Tech golf, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
