GTGOLF Notebook: Fall Amateur Update

Georgia Tech 2020 amateur results

THE FLATS – As the fall amateur season winds down, the most recent two U.S. Amateur champions from Georgia Tech posted strong performances in recent events, with Andy Ogletree tying for second place at the Golf Club of Georgia Amateur Invitational and Tyler Strafaci tying for 12^th at the Azalea Invitational.

Ogletree (Little Rock, Ark.) fired rounds of 67-68-66 for a 54-hole total of 201 (-15) at the Golf Club of Georgia, which hosted a 78-player field on its Creekside Course. Senior Will Dickson (Providence, R.I.) turned in a tie for 10^th place with a strong finish, closing with an 8-under-par 64 for an 11-under-par total of 205. Junior Connor Howe (Ogden, Utah) tied for 34^th place at 210 (-6), while sophomore Bartley Forrester (Gainesville, Ga.), who tied for 42^nd at 212 (-4), and sophomore Luka Karaulic (Dacula, Ga.), T48 at 213 (-3), also finished under par.

Strafaci contended for a fourth 2020 title last weekend at one of the traditional major amateur events, tying for 12^th place at the Azalea Invitational in Charleston, S.C. The Davie, Fla., senior was tied for second place after 54 holes, but fell back after a closing 76 and finished at 2-under-par 282. Howe finished strong with a 69 and tied for 39^th at 290 (+8), while Forrester missed the 54-hole cut.

Several of the Yellow Jackets are entered in this weekend’s independent amateur event being played at the Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.

GCAA amateur events are being conducted over two days (Saturday-Sunday or Monday–Tuesday) with 54 holes of competition, using either a shotgun start format or double-tee start format. Both male and female golfers are competing in one tournament using two sets of tees. Tournaments are recognized by the World Amateur Golf Ranking, with points awarded accordingly based on the individual participants’ finish against other players of their gender. Events have a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 84 players, and additional dates and venues may be added. The schedule has included events in Mississippi and Kentucky as well as Pinehurst and Raleigh in North Carolina.

See complete schedule

Will Dickson fired an 8-under-par 64 at the Golf Club of Georgia.

 

GOLF CHANNEL TO AIR SOUTHWESTERN INVITATIONAL

Golf Channel announced last week that it will air live coverage during all three days of the Southwestern Invitational, one of the events on Georgia Tech’s spring schedule. Taking place at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village, Calif., and hosted by Pepperdine University, the competition will feature a 54-hole stroke play team and individual championship.

The Southwestern Invitational will welcome 12 elite men’s golf programs, highlighted by tournament host (and defending champion) Pepperdine, along with reigning national champion (2019) Stanford University. Along with Georgia Tech, the field also includes Arizona State, Augusta, California, East Tennessee State, San Diego State, San José State, SMU, Southern California and UCLA.

First staged in 1978 as the Southwestern Intercollegiate, the event was established by C.W. Johnson, who served as tournament director for more than 25 years. Pepperdine fully assumed the role of tournament host in 2016. Georgia Tech is competing in the event for the second time (finished eighth out of 24 teams in 1988).

Tyler Strafaci fell short in his bid for a fourth tournament win in 2020.

 

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 A-T Fund’s Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes, and the Support The Swarm Fund, created to give fans an opportunity to help Georgia Tech athletics maintain its recent momentum through the financial challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic! To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.  

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH GOLF

Georgia Tech’s golf team has completed 25 years under head coach Bruce Heppler, winning 64 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.