OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. – Highlighted by a hole-in-one on 13, Kale Fontenot turned in an even-par 70 second round to lead No. 18 Georgia Tech on Saturday at the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational. As a team, the Yellow Jackets posted a four-over-par total of 284 to move up one spot into a four-way tie for ninth at the Olympia Fields Country Club.
Georgia Tech opened on hole 10 as Fontenot started to gain momentum right out of the gate and recorded a hole-in-one on the fourth hole of the morning to move to 1-under-par. The junior recorded two birdies over the final four holes before the turn and turned in an even round on the day to jump into a tie for 45th on the individual leaderboard at 145 (+5).
After 36 holes, Georgia Tech is tied with Texas A&M, Loyola Marymount and Stanford at 11-over-par (571). Florida climbed two spots to take the lead after recording the lowest team round of the day with 267 (-13) for a team total of 549 (-11) after two rounds. Texas Tech slipped to second place, standing at 4-under-par total of 556.
The final round will tee off Sunday with a shotgun start beginning at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time.
TECH LINEUP – After leading Georgia Tech on Friday, seniors Aidan Tran and Hiroshi Tai both carded 1-over-par rounds of 71 on Saturday. Tran played a steady round of golf with one birdie and two bogeys and is in a seven-way tie for 11th place individually with a two-round total of 139 (-1). Tai also turned in a 1-over-par round of 71 to move into a tie for 18th and is even after two rounds with a total of 140.
Benjamin Reuter jumped right out with a pair of birdies but finished with a 2-over-par 72. After two rounds, Reuter stands in 67th with a total of 149 (+9). Albert Hansson rounded out Tech’s lineup with a 3-over-par 73 and is tied for 62nd at 148 (+8) after 36 holes.
TEAM LEADERBOARD – No. 10 Florida climbed two spots to take the lead after 36 holes and holds a seven-stroke lead entering the final round at 13-under-par 549. No. 19 Texas Tech is in second after a 3-under-par second round of 277 and No. 4 Oklahoma State dipped to third place at 1-under-par 559 after two rounds. Illinois jumped two spots into fourth with a 2-under-par round of 277 on Saturday and Florida State completes the top five at 3-over-par 563.
The 15-team field features 10 teams ranked in the top 25 of the latest Bushnell/Golfweek Coaches Poll released on Friday.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD – Oklahoma State’s Gaven Lane moved five spots to claim a share of the lead with Florida’s Matthew Kress on Saturday. Lane carded a four-under-par second round 66 for a two-round total of 135 (-5), while Kress was 3-under-par on Saturday. Lane and Kress hold a one-stroke lead over third-place Max Herendeen (Illinois) and Connor Graham (Texas Tech). Three players are tied in fifth place at 3-under-par (137) and another three players stand tied for eighth at 2-under-par (138).
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION – In its 19th edition, the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational welcomes the nation’s top teams to the Olympia Fields Country Club. Illinois plays host to the field, which includes 15 competitive teams. Joining Georgia Tech and host Illinois in the field are Alabama, Arizona State, Baylor, Florida, Florida State, Indiana, LMU, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Stanford, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech. The competitive field consists of 11 teams ranked in the preseason Bushnell/Golfweek Coaches Poll including reigning NCAA Champion Oklahoma State (1), Texas (3), Florida (4), Arizona State (6), Florida State (9), Illinois (11), Georgia Tech (t-13), Texas Tech (t-15), Alabama (18) and Texas A&M (20). Additionally, Stanford received votes in the preseason poll. Amongst the field, 12 of the 15 teams competed in the 2025 NCAA Regionals, with 10 advancing to NCAA Championship stroke play.
The tournament will be contested over 54 holes beginning Friday and concluding Sunday at Olympia Fields Country Club, which plays a par-70 and measures 7,353 yards. Tee times begin at 9 a.m. Eastern time both Friday and Saturday, and 8:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of the development of Yellow Jackets that thrive academically at the Institute and 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 31st year under head coach Bruce Heppler, winning 73 tournaments in his tenure. The Yellow Jackets have won 19 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships, made 34 appearances in the NCAA Championship and been the national runner-up five times. Follow Georgia Tech Golf on social media by liking their Facebook page, or following on X (@GTGolf) and Instagram. For more information on Tech golf, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
