NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of South Alabama men's golf team returns to action Sunday with the start of Notre Dame's Fighting Irish Classic in its first trip to the Hoosier State since the fall of 2014.

The event will include 54 holes played over two days at the Warren Golf Course, with a 7:45 a.m. (CDT) shotgun start to the first two rounds.  In addition to the host, the field of 15 schools is highlighted by six members of the Big Ten Conference as well as 2018 NCAA Championship qualifiers Iowa State and North Carolina.

The Jaguar lineup in the third of four tournaments this semester features a pair of juniors — Yannick Schütz and Rasmus Karlsson — along with newcomers Kyle Robinson, Jacob Hatter and Jordan Plunkett.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (host): Fighting Irish Classic (Notre Dame)
Dates: 10/7-8 (Sunday-Monday)
Format: 36 holes Sunday, 18 holes Monday
Start times: 7:45 a.m. (CDT) shotgun start Monday, 7:30 a.m. split tees Tuesday
Course: Warren Golf Course (par 71, 7,020 yds)
Live scoring: https://www.birdiefire.com/tournament/50201/

THE FIELD (15)
Georgia Southern, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Miami (Ohio), Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, South Alabama, Southern Illinois, Toledo, Wisconsin

THE JAGUAR LINEUP
-Yannick Schütz (Jr., Friolzheim, Germany; 5 rds, 72.80 avg, 2 T20s, 69 low 18, 218 low 54, 2 rds =/- par)
-Rasmus Karlsson (Jr., Fiskars, Finland; 5 rds, 74.60 avg, 74 low 18, 223 low 54)
-Kyle Robinson (So, Fayetteville, Ark; 5 rds, 77.40 avg, 74 low 18, 227 low 54)
-Jacob Hatter (Fr., Alpharetta, Ga.; making collegiate debut)
-Jordan Plunkett (Fr., Sterrett, Ala.; 5 rds, 75.40 avg, 71 low 18, 224 low 54, 2 rds =/- par)

TEE SHOTS
-This will be the first time the Jaguars compete in the Midwest since closing out the 2015-16 regular season at Iowa's Hawkeye-Great River Entertainment Invitational.
-South last posted a top-10 finish in the region the previous year after coming in eighth place at the Wolf Run Intercollegiate hosted by Indiana.
-The tournament field includes three schools that advanced to last spring's NCAA Championship — Illinois, Iowa State and North Carolina — while Michigan State competed in an NCAA Regional.
-Schütz' stroke average, which is best on the squad, stands among the top 15 in the Sun Belt Conference.
-After opening the season with an 81 in his first round as a Jag, Robinson has lowered his 18-hole score in all four rounds that have followed.
-Plunkett rejoins the lineup after carding a career-low 1-under-par 71 in each of the final two rounds at the Shoal Creek Invitational, where he competed individually.
-Hatter is the third true freshman in the program to make his collegiate debut this season.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Ben Hannan
On goals and expectations for the Notre Dame tournament: "We're really excited about going to Notre Dame, it's a venue we haven't been to before but I've heard great things about the course and the tournament.  We have been practicing and playing well at home and are looking to get up there and get going."
On competition in qualifying leading to different lineups this fall: "We have a little bit of a younger lineup, but we have some excellent leadership at the top with Yannick and Rasmus.  Jacob has been trending the right way and showing some solid, consistent play at home, and Jordan and Kyle have contributed on the road.  It's a new lineup, but one that could be a very solid group that competes well."
On the challenges of playing outside the region: "Typically green complexes are the biggest difference we'll see.  Obviously the grass is different and the guys will need to adjust to that in the practice round, figuring out fliers and how the ball reacts around the greens.  Green speed and slope with bent grass has a different feel in the Midwest, so the challenge is learning to read greens and trust what you see because they do react differently than what we play."

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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