2019-20 Schedule

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's golf team will compete in nine tournaments, including the Sun Belt Conference Championship, as part of its 2019-20 schedule that was announced Friday by head coach Matt Luther.

"We have definitely been able to put together our best schedule since I have been here," Luther said. "We're going to play a bunch of top-25 teams this year on some really good golf courses in some cool places. We have an opportunity to do some damage on this schedule, and I think we have the players in place to be able to do that as well. It worked out well; I try to play the best possible schedule that we can, and if that's four weeks in a row then that's what it is going to be. It sort of fell into place that we'll be able to go on the road, then come home and reset, which is ideal. We bounce back and forth from easier course to harder course through the spring, which I think is great; we'll have an opportunity to shoot some low scores, then go somewhere difficult and have to shift our mindsets."

South Alabama will play three tournaments in the fall, beginning with the three-day, three-round USA Intercollegiate (Sept. 14-16) at RTJ Magnolia Grove's The Crossings Course.

"It has worked out great to have our tournament as the opener," Luther said. "That wasn't the idea of putting it there, but it gives us a full month at home – Magnolia Grove is now officially our home. We have a good field coming, and one that we can absolutely win or finish 12th; if we don't play well then we're going to get beat, so it's a good opportunity, especially with two freshmen coming in who are both going to play our home tournament, to get their feet wet without having to go on the road the first week of school."

The Jaguars will then travel to Vail, Colo., to compete in the Golfweek Program Challenge (Sept. 23-25), a three-round, three-day event held at Red Sky Golf Club's Fazio Course that is hosted by Golfweek.

"It's a good tournament," Luther said of the Golfweek Program Challenge. "It's theoretically the best team from every conference in the country. We're going to have a good representation from the Pac-12, ACC, SEC and Big 12, and that's who we want to play against; if we have to fly to Vail to do it then we are going to do it. Aside from the ball flying further, there is less oxygen walking around out there; cardio becomes difficult. Grass, wind conditions – everything is different, but I think it goes to the ethos of our program. 

"We're not scared of anybody, anywhere at any time; we'll go and give you our best shot, and that's what we're going to do. Come the spring time, should we get shipped to (NCAA) regionals in Seattle, Wash., we're not scared to leave the south. Since I've been here, we've gotten around the country to play and gotten different looks, and we're going to continue to do so; that's how you develop players."

USA will close its fall schedule at the Pat Bradley Invitational (Oct. 20-22) at Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club in Bradenton, Fla., hosted by FIU, which will feature 54 holes over three days.

The Jags open the spring portion of their schedule at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate (Feb. 16-18), a three-day, three-round event hosted by Tulane, at English Turn Golf Club in New Orleans.

The following week, USA will travel to Lake Oconee, Ga., to compete in the Reynolds Lake Oconee Invitational (Feb. 21-23), a three-day, three-round event at Lake Oconee National Golf Club's Landings Course that is hosted by Mercer.

South Alabama will head to Jacksonville, Fla., for the UNF Intercollegiate March 9-10 to compete in 54 holes over two days at Jacksonville Golf Club, followed by the Bama Beach Bash (March 20-22) at Gulf Shores Golf Club, a three-day, three-round event hosted by South Alabama, in Gulf Shores, Ala.

USA will compete in the LSU Tiger Golf Classic (April 4-5) at University Club in Baton Rouge, La., a two-day, 54-hole event, before heading to Daytona Beach, Fla., for the Sun Belt Conference Championship (April 13-15) at LPGA International.

South Alabama returns four letterwinners from last year's Sun Belt Conference championship team, including 2018 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Siti Shaari, who also earned first-team all-league honors, and Second-Team All- Sun Belt selection Julie Hovland.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Chip In Club, the women's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Chip In Club go directly to support the South Alabama women's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/chipinclub.