LOXLEY, Ala. – The University of South Alabama men's golf team will close out the fall campaign when it plays host this weekend to the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational.

It's the third year in a row that the Jaguars will take part in the event, which will be played at the Steelwood Country Club.  The tournament features a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. (CDT) Saturday, with two rounds scheduled, while the final 18 holes will get underway from split tees Sunday at 8 a.m.

Juniors Yannick Schütz and Rasmus Karlsson will lead a Jaguar lineup that also includes Kyle Robinson, Dawson Atkinson and Jordan Plunkett.  The trio of Jacob Hatter, Spencer Arnold and Peter Staalbo will be competing as individuals as well.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (host): Steelwood Collegiate Invitational (South Alabama)
Dates: 10/27-28 (Saturday-Sunday)
Format: 36 holes Saturday, 18 holes Sunday
Start times: 8:30 a.m. (CDT) shotgun start Saturday, 8 a.m. split tees Sunday
Course: Steelwood Country Club (par 72, 7,096 yds)
Live scoring: http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=16838

THE FIELD (12)
Indiana, Kansas State, Kennesaw State, Kentucky, Mississippi State, North Alabama, Rice, Richmond, South Alabama, Southern Mississippi, #7 Wake Forest and Wofford

THE JAGUAR LINEUP
-Yannick Schütz (Jr., Friolzheim, Germany; 8 rds, 72.63 avg, 2 T20s, 69 low 18, 217 low 54, 3 rds =/- par)
-Rasmus Karlsson (Jr., Fiskars, Finland; 8 rds, 73.63 avg, 66 low 18, 216 low 54, 1 rd =/- par)
-Jordan Plunkett (Fr., Sterrett, Ala.; 8 rds, 73.50 avg, 69 low 18, 211 low 54, 5 rds =/- par)
-Kyle Robinson (So, Fayetteville, Ark; 8 rds, 76.00 avg, 70 low 18, 221 low 54, 2 rds =/- par)
-Dawson Atkinson (Fr., Trussville, Ala.; 2 rds, 75.50 avg, 72 low 18, 1 rd =/- par)
-Jacob Hatter (Fr., Alpharetta, Ga.; 3 rds, 73.33 avg, 69 low 18, 220 low 54, 1 rd =/- par)
-Spencer Arnold (So., Mobile, Ala.; 3 rds, 85.00 avg, 81 low 18, 255 low 54 in 2017-18)
-Peter Staalbo (Sr., Lejre, Denmark; 5 rds, 76.00 avg, 69 low 18, 232 low 54, 1 rd =/- par)
*denotes competing as an individual

TEE SHOTS
-This is the third consecutive fall that the Jaguars will play host to the event.
-South has finished among the top five in the team standings each of the first two editions of the tournament.
-Both the defending team (Alabama) and individual (R.J. Keur from Alabama-Birmingham) champion are not in the field this year.
-Kennesaw State won the inaugural team title in 2016 with a 27-under-par 837 total.
-Schütz recorded a top-15 performance at last season's event with a 220 54-hole score.
-Plunkett led the team last time out at Notre Dame's Fighting Irish Classic Oct. 7-8 with three straight rounds at or below par on the way to a 2-under-par 211 total.
-Karlsson closed out the tournament with a career-low-tying 66, his first round under par this fall.
-Robinson also recorded his first two scores at or below par this season after carding a 70 and 71 over the final 36 holes of the event.
-Atkinson is in the Jags' lineup for the first time this season as he participated as an individual while making his collegiate debut at the Lone Star Invitational on Sept. 10-11.
-South ended its last tournament with a season-low 7-under-par 277, the second time in three outings this year that the Jags have posted their best round over the final 18 holes of an event.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Ben Hannan
On the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational College Am that opens the event: "The credit really goes to Steelwood Country Club, its membership and the businesses who support this tournament.  The goal is to showcase top collegiate golf in the Mobile area and give back to the community at the same time.  It's great for college golf and an honor to be a part of an event where the revenue is used to support the local area.  I know all the participating teams are excited about being here, playing and supporting such a great tournament as it's different from the many events we play."
On closing out the fall season with a home event: "It's always nice to play at home.  Steelwood is an incredible golf course, it's always in perfect shape; the guys certainly like playing there."
On the team's lineup for the tournament: "It's once again been very competitive at home, the guys are shooting scores that we need to help us compete.  We have had some solid weeks of preparation.  It's a very good field and a great opportunity, we are looking forward to playing this week and competing."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. 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.

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