Georgia Tech "#ProJackets" Golf Report

THE FLATS – It’s Masters week! Georgia Tech has only one representative in the field for the first major championship of 2024, and it’s amateur Christo Lamprecht, Yellow Jacket senior from George, South Africa. Enjoy some great stories that have been written on the 6-foot-8 All-American in various golf publications in the run-up. More details below in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.

LAMPRECHT’S NEXT TALL ORDER: REP HIMSELF, TECH AT MASTERS

The obligations and opportunities are piling up around Georgia Tech’s Christo Lamprecht these days, so high that they might block the view of even golf’s human cellphone tower.

Easy to lose sight of the moment when so much future clutters the horizon.

“I think it’s human to get in that situation of thinking ahead to what can happen and what can’t,” said Lamprecht last week, leaning anxiously forward from his chair inside the sanctuary of the Tech golf facility.

“I try to remind myself whenever I get into that position, hey, what matters is what’s in front of you right now.”

Most immediate is a tee time at the Masters (April 11-14), where he figures to be the only player with any Tech ties playing in Bobby Jones’ ode to spring. Lean year on the Jackets golfing front.

Beyond that, the coming attractions include: Completion of a resplendent college playing career. A spring graduation walk with finance degree in hand, rewarding all that faith he put into a decision to leave South Africa for a foreign, cluttered outpost in the American South. And seven weeks of golf that could go miles toward defining his dream to play professionally. Lamprecht is one of two players competing for a place in the big leagues through the PGA Tour University points system designed to advance the best college players. Other than that, nothing much happening for the guy.

Christo Lamprecht’s next tall order: Rep himself, Georgia Tech at Masters https://t.co/uHCt7tMREX

— Georgia Tech Golf (@GTGolf) April 8, 2024

TOWERING GOLFER CHRISTO LAMPRECHT SWINGS FOR MASTERS HISTORY

Christo Lamprecht knows what’s coming.

As a 6-foot-8 senior at Georgia Tech, Lamprecht gets it. He understands that most of the time, strangers who see him wearing a Tech T-shirt or hoodie definitely do not assume that his sport of choice is golf and, when they learn it is, inevitably ask him the same set of questions.

So, for the record:

Yes, he has big sneakers. (He’s a size 13.)

No, he’s not on the Tech basketball team. (Though he’s taller than 12 of the 16 players who are.)

Yes, he likes basketball and the NBA even though he didn’t watch a game until he was 12. (Rugby and soccer are far more popular in his home country of South Africa.)

And no, dunking isn’t easy for him, despite the fact he’s nearly the same height as LeBron James. “I kind of have to put a lot of effort into it,” Lamprecht says earnestly. “It’s hard — it’s a full two-leg jump!” Quickly recognizing that most other humans won’t necessarily accept this explanation from someone who is taller than the average refrigerator, he adds, in a slightly lower voice, “I’m probably not the best jumper in the world.”

Fortunately for Lamprecht, a decent vertical isn’t especially relevant to his life aspirations. Professional golf awaits him later this summer, but this week he’ll play at the Masters — where, by all accounts, he’ll become the tallest competitor in the history of the event.

As #Masters week begins, here’s my piece on the one player who is impossible to miss — a 6-foot-8 senior from @GeorgiaTech, Christo Lamprecht talks about walking into doors, harnessing 200mph ball speed and his plans for the tiny beds in the Crow’s Nest: https://t.co/bucnxTs1CU

— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) April 8, 2024

IS CHRISTO LAMPRECHT GOLF’S NEXT BIG THING?

At 6′ 8″, the South African amateur is likely the tallest golfer in Masters history. More relevant: He’s the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world. Here’s hoping his debut is a [groans] slam dunk.

The scene: Zooming from the team room at Georgia Tech, where the 23-year-old is a college senior.

Dylan Dethier: Growing up in South Africa, who were your golfing heroes?

Christo Lamprecht: Ernie Els. I’ve gotten to know him personally a little, and I’ve looked up to him a lot. Gary Player is obviously our golf legend, our godfather, like Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer in America. And Louis [Oosthuizen] has always been a great mentor to me too. So those are probably my top three South African golfers.

Christo Lamprecht is likely the tallest golfer in Masters history. The No. 1 amateur in the world sat down for a Q&A before heading to Augusta next week.https://t.co/SXYxmoMBje

— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) April 5, 2024

TALL ORDER: AMATEUR LAMPRECHT POSSESSES POWER FOR AUGUSTA NATIONAL

At No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Lamprecht fits in just fine in his last season at Georgia Tech – where he has no trouble sleeping at a school accustomed to housing basketball and football players at least as tall as the 23-year-old South African. Despite heading to college after becoming the youngest player to win the South African Amateur Championship in 2017, he fulfilled a promise to his college coach, Bruce Heppler, to stay four years until he graduated, never considering turning pro early. Now he is threatening to break the Georgia Tech career scoring average record (70.19 by Bryce Molder) with a career mark of 70.10.

“I think you’re only as valuable as your word,” he said. “Also, I personally needed the four years. I think I’m somewhat ready to turn pro now. My golf game is ready. And I think turning pro in today’s circuit, you’ve got to time it correctly to make sure that I feel like I want to be out there and the first tournament I play as a professional I feel like I can win.”

Lamprecht narrowly ranks second to Stanford’s Michael Thorbjornsen in the PGA Tour University Ranking, to which the top finisher at the end of the NCAA Championship in May will earn a PGA Tour card for the rest of the 2024 season and the top five earn Korn Ferry Tour status. It’s a vehicle that launched Ludvig Åberg to immediate stardom last year.

Christo Lamprecht, all 6 feet 8 inches of him, knows Augusta will be a tall order, but he’s ready.https://t.co/IZhnHAp4iZ

— Global Golf Post (@GlobalGolfPost) April 5, 2024

COMPETITION ROUNDUP FROM LAST WEEKEND

PGA Tour

Stewart Cink tied for 39^th place at 2-under-par 286, and Vince Whaley tied for 69^th place at 2-over-par 290 at the Valero Texas Open. Chesson Hadley and Matt Kuchar both missed the cut in an event where many of the competitors tuned up for this week’s Masters.

PGA Tour leaderboard

A strong round from @StewartCink 💪

The 50-year-old will play the weekend @ValeroTXOpen. pic.twitter.com/wPkWd5tEMo

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) April 5, 2024

*****

Korn Ferry Tour

Ollie Schniederjans competed for the first time in a year and earned a top-10 finish, tying for ninth place at last weekend’s Club Car Championship in Savannah, Ga. The former Tech All-American posted a 10-under-par total of 278 at The Landings Golf and Athletic Club, four shots off the lead.

Chris Petefish also made the cut in the Korn Ferry Tour’s first 2024 event on American soil, tying for 48^th place (286, -2). Eight Yellow Jackets total competed in the event.

Korn Ferry Tour leaderboard

*****

LIV Golf Series

At Trump Doral Golf Club in Miami, Cameron Tringale tied for 21^st place at 2-under-par 214, while Andy Ogletree was 50^th at 227 (+11). Their HyFlyers team, which includes Phil Mickelson and Brendan Steele, finished last.

LIV leaderboard

UPCOMING EVENTS

• PGA Tour: Masters Tournament • April 11-14, 2024 • Augusta National Golf Club • Augusta, Ga. • Purse: TBA • FedEx Cup points: 750
• Korn Ferry Tour:  LECOM Suncoast Classic • April 18-21, 2024 • Lakewood National Golf Club • Lakewood Ranch, Fla. • Purse: $1M • KFT points: 500
• PGA Tour Champions: Invited Celebrity Classic • April 19-21, 2024 • Las Colinas Country Club • Irving, Texas • Purse: $2.2M
• PGA Tour Americas: 69^th ECP Brazil Open • April 18-21, 2024 • Rio Olympic Golf Course • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil • Purse: $225K • Fortinet Cup points: n/a
• Asian Tour/International Series: International Series Morocco • July 4-7, 2024 • Royal Golf Dar Es Salam • Morocco • Purse: $2M
• LIV Golf Series: Adelaide • April 26-28, 2024 • The Grange Golf Club • Adelaide, Autralia • Purse: $20M
• GPro Tour: Sanctuary Championship • April 9-11, 2024 • Sanctuary Golf Club • Waverly, Ga. • Purse: $119,175

#PROJACKETS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Can’t wait to see Christo Lamprecht of @GTGolf tee it up next week at #themasters pic.twitter.com/o4D6GRV3tj

— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) April 2, 2024

Fly high, it’s your birthday @Andy_Ogletree! 🥳 pic.twitter.com/4Kh5mbcEKD

— HyFlyers GC (@HyFlyers_GC) April 3, 2024

Love being a @Braves fan! pic.twitter.com/tokU0U6nn5

— Charlie Rymer (@CharlieRymerPGA) April 6, 2024

 

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