MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama men's golf team is set to open the spring season by playing host to the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate, the sixth straight year the program will make its spring debut at the event.

The Jaguar lineup will feature upperclassmen Peter Staalbo, Rasmus Karlsson and Yannick Schütz as well as newcomers Kyle Robinson and Jordan Plunkett.  In addition, Dawson Atkinson and Jacob Hatter are set to compete individually.

Play will get underway at 8 a.m. (CST) Monday with a shotgun start to the first two rounds at the Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course.  The final 18 holes also will feature a shotgun start Tuesday at 8 a.m.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (host): Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate (South Alabama)
Dates: 2/11-12 (Monday-Tuesday)
Format: 36 holes Monday, 18 holes Tuesday
Start times: 8 a.m. (CST) shotgun start Monday and Tuesday
Course: Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course (par 72, 7,212 yds)
Live scoring: http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=16837

THE FIELD (15)
Abilene Christian, Florida State, Illinois State, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Louisiana, Louisville, Nicholls, North Alabama, Oral Roberts, Richmond, South Alabama, Southern Mississippi, Texas State, Western Kentucky

THE JAGUAR LINEUP
-Yannick Schütz (Jr., Friolzheim, Germany; 11 rds, 72.55 avg, 3 T20s, 69 low 18, 217 low 54, 5 rds =/- par)
-Rasmus Karlsson (Jr., Fiskars, Finland; 11 rds, 73.64 avg, 66 low 18, 216 low 54, 2 rds =/- par)
-Peter Staalbo (Sr., Lejre, Denmark; 8 rds, 75.00 avg, 1 T20, 69 low 18, 220 low 54, 3 rds =/- par)
-Jordan Plunkett (Fr., Sterrett, Ala.; 11 rds, 73.73 avg, 69 low 18, 211 low 54, 5 rds =/- par)
-Kyle Robinson (So, Fayetteville, Ark; 11 rds, 75.73 avg, 70 low 18, 221 low 54, 2 rds =/- par)
-*Dawson Atkinson (Fr., Trussville, Ala.; 5 rds, 75.20 avg, 72 low 18, 225 low 54, 1 rd =/- par)
-*Jacob Hatter (Fr., Alpharetta, Ga.; 6 rds, 76.00 avg, 69 low 18, 220 low 54, 1 rd =/- par)
*denotes competing as an individual

TEE SHOTS
-This will mark the 12th time that the Jaguars have played host to the event, and the sixth straight year that the tournament will open South's spring schedule.
-Louisville is the highest-rated program in the field, coming into play 27th in the nation.
-Defending champion Florida State enters the competition ranked 39th in the most recent Golfstat.com ratings, with the Seminole lineup including 2018 individual co-champion Jamie Li.
-FSU set a tournament 54-hole record last spring after recording a 30-under-par 834 group total, while both the Seminoles and Jaguars posted a new 18-hole standard after both carded 12-under-par 276 scores in the final round.
-The Jags were runners-up for the second year in a row at last season's event after posting a 14-under-par 850 total.
-Karlsson paced South with a fourth-place result in the individual standings, recording a career-low 6-under-par 66 in the last round for an 8-under-par 208 54-hole score which was also the best of his career.
-Schütz also posted the best results of his career at the event with a 210 three-round score and a fifth-place finish individually.
-At the 2016 edition of the tournament, Staalbo placed second in individual standings with a 7-under-par 209 total; both are still career-best figures as he enters his final semester at the collegiate level.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Ben Hannan
On returning from the long layoff: "We returned from the break in mid-January and started working shortly after that.  The beginning of the year is often about knocking the rust off and getting back into the swing of things, and the guys have done that.  As we qualified over the last few weeks we started to get some good, competitive rounds, now we want to build on that."
On playing at home: "Playing at home is great because we certainly know the golf course, the lines and putts and those types of things.  But it also comes with its own set of challenges like managing expectations and being patient enough to play well.  Those are the things we've been talking a lot about, trying to control the controllables and focus on the present and let the results take care of themselves rather than trying to press and push our way to a good score."
On having three upperclassmen in the lineup helping manage expectations: "Our three upperclassmen are the leaders of this team.  For us to compete we need them to do their jobs and play well as they set the standard.  We've been talking a lot about just playing golf and focusing on the shot and situation at hand without getting too far ahead, which can happen at home if you're not mentally engaged.  They're obviously very good players who have a chance to win every week, but in order for them to do their jobs they must be patient enough to allow good golf to happen."
On the field: "Florida State is back, they are a very good program that just won a strong tournament last week at the TPC at Sawgrass; they are obviously playing very well.  Louisville — who has won here in the past — is back as well and currently ranked 27th in the country.  There are also several programs coming in from the Midwest and within the region who have had solid events in the fall, it's a competitive field with some frontrunners at the top.  It's a good opportunity for us, we're excited and looking forward to 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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