HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The University of South Alabama men's golf team will begin its 2016-17 season when play tees off Monday morning at the Sam Hall Intercollegiate hosted by Southern Mississippi.
In addition to featuring three upperclassmen — seniors Sylas Elliott and Jason Mendel, along with junior Peter Staalbo — the Jaguar lineup will include sophomores Rasmus Karlsson and Stephen Wall, with Spencer Arnold making his collegiate debut while competing as an individual as Ben Hannan returns as USA's head coach.
Play will begin at 8:30 a.m. on the opening day of the tournament, with two rounds scheduled to be completed Monday before the final 18 holes tees off at 8 a.m. the following day.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (host): Sam Hall Intercollegiate (Southern Mississippi)
Dates: 9/11-12 (Monday-Tuesday)
Format: 36 holes Monday, 18 holes Tuesday
Start times: 8:30 a.m. (CDT) shotgun start Monday, 8 a.m. split tees Tuesday
Course: Hattiesburg Country Club (par 71, 6,902 yds)
Live scoring: http://results.golfstat.com//public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=13641
THE FIELD (12)
Louisiana-Lafayette, Mercer, Missouri State, New Orleans, Rice, Sam Houston State, Samford, South Alabama, Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Mississippi, Texas-Arlington and Texas-San Antonio
THE JAGUAR LINEUP
-Jason Mendel (Sr., Norcross, Ga.; 27 rds, 74.26 avg, 5 T20s; 69 low 18, 215 low 54; 11 rds =/- par in 2016-17)
-Rasmus Karlsson (So., Fiskars, Finland; 30 rds, 73.30 avg, 5 T20s; 68 low 18, 210 low 54; 6 rds =/- par in 2016-17)
-Peter Staalbo (Jr., Lejre, Denmark; 27 rds, 74.30 avg, 4 T20s; 66 low 18, 211 low 54; 9 rds =/- par in 2016-17)
-Sylas Elliott (Sr., Cullman, Ala.; 22 rds, 73.50 avg, 3 T20s; 67 low 18, 215 low 54; 7 rds =/- par in 2016-17)
-Stephen Wall (So, Madisonville, La.; 9 rds, 77.22 avg, 2 T20s; 69 low 18, 216 low 54; 2 rds =/- par in 2016-17)
-*Spencer Arnold (R-Fr., Mobile, Ala.; redshirt in 2016-17)
*denotes competing as an individual
TEE SHOTS
-After serving as an assistant athletic director during the 2016-17 academic year, Ben Hannan returns as the Jaguars' head coach this fall; it will be his 14th season in charge of the program.
-This will mark the seventh time in the last eight years that South will open the campaign at Southern Miss's event.
-The Jags placed among the top three in the team standings of the tournament three straight seasons from 2011-13.
-Karlsson was named second-team all-Sun Belt Conference following his first season of competition at the collegiate level, while Staalbo was a first-team all-league honoree as a freshman in 2016.
-In addition to recording career-best figures in both scoring average and rounds at or below par a year ago, Mendel posted more top-20 results (five) than he did his first two seasons of competition combined (three).
-Elliott will be playing for the first time since suffering an injury that caused him to miss USA's final four tournaments last spring.
THEY SAID IT
Head coach Ben Hannan
On the start of the season: "It's always good to get going, the guys are excited; they have been working hard, playing the tournament is the reward. Everybody is looking forward to the start of the fall season."
On the team's play in qualifying for the lineup: "This is a really good group, we have a good team. Everybody is working hard and pulling for each other, qualifying has been competitive with multiple people recording very good rounds which highlights our depth and adds confidence."
On his expectations for the opening event of the season: "For us, our focus — which we have been talking about since the first team meeting — is the process. We are going to make a conscious effort to focus on getting better each and every day. Our goal is to play to our ability and to have each individual maximize what they do. If we do that, everything else should take care of itself."
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Join the Birdie Club — the men's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Birdie Club go directly to support the South Alabama men's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/birdieclub.
—USA—
