VALENTINE, Neb. – Coming off the program's first stroke-play tournament title in five seasons, the University of South Alabama men's golf team is travelling out of the region for its next competition.

The Jaguars are set to take part in the Prairie Club Invitational hosted by South Dakota State on Sunday and Monday, with play getting underway at 8:30 a.m. (CDT) on the opening day of the event.

Each of the four individuals who placed in the top 15 at the season-opening Lone Star Invitational — Yannick Schütz, Jacob LeCroy, Rasmus Karlsson and Jordan Plunkett — will be joined in the USA lineup by Dawson Atkinson, while Kyle Robinson will make his season debut for the Jags competing individually.  South shot a 294 in the final round last time out to force a three-team playoff, which it would go on to win with a 2-under par aggregate total following the first extra hole.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (host): Prairie Club Invitational (South Dakota State)
Dates: 9/29-30 (Sunday-Monday)
Format: 36 holes Sunday, 18 holes Monday
Start times: 8:30 a.m. (CDT) start from split tees Sunday; 9 a.m. start from split tees Monday
Course: Prairie Club Dunes Course (par 73, 7,369 yds)
Live scoring: http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=team&tid=18560

THE FIELD (7)
Central Florida, Missouri, Nebraska, Northern Illinois, Sam Houston State, South Alabama, South Dakota State

THE JAGUAR LINEUP
-Yannick Schütz (Sr., Friolzheim, Germany; 3 rds, 71.67 avg, 1 T10, 67 low 18, 215 low 54, 1 rd =/- par)
-Jacob LeCroy (Fr., Anniston, Ala.; 3 rds, 73.00 avg, 1 T10, 71 low 18, 219 low 54, 2 rds =/- par)
-Rasmus Karlsson (Sr., Fiskars, Finland; 3 rds, 73.00 avg, 1 T10, 69 low 18, 219 low 54, 2 rds =/- par)
-Jordan Plunkett (So., Sterrett, Ala.; 3 rds, 73.33 avg, 1 T20, 71 low 18, 220 low 54, 1 rd =/- par)
-Dawson Atkinson (So., Trussville, Ala.; 3 rds, 77.33 avg, 73 low 18, 232 low 54)
-*Kyle Robinson (Jr., Fayetteville, Ark.; 25 rds, 74.24 avg, 2 T20s, 66 low 18, 217 low 54, 8 rds =/- par in 2018-19)
*denotes competing as an individual

TEE SHOTS
-This is the first time on record that the Jaguars will participate in an event in Nebraska.
-It will be the program's first trip to the Midwest since competing at the Hawkeye-Great River Entertainment Invitational in Iowa City, Iowa, on Aril 16-17, 2016.
-Schütz led the Jags at the season-opening tournament hosted by Texas-San Antonio with a 5-under-par 67 in the first round and a 1-under-par 215 54-hole total; after tying for fourth in the individual standings, it was the fourth top-10 performance of his career.
-Fellow senior Karlsson posted the team's only other score in the 60s with a 69 over the opening 18 holes, and he would go on to record his third top-10 result in South's last four events dating back to the spring with a three-round total of 219.
-After carding rounds of 72 and 71 over the final 36 holes, LeCroy matched Karlsson in his first collegiate tournament both with a 219 total and two scores at or below par at the event.
-Plunkett has now finished in the top 20 of the individual standings in each of the last three events after posting a career-best tie for 13th place at UTSA, one shot behind Karlsson and LeCroy.
-This will be Atkinson's first appearance in the Jaguar lineup since the final event of last fall, when he shot a 225 — the low 54-hole total of his freshman season — at the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational.
-Six of Robinson's eight rounds at or below par last year came during the spring season.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Ben Hannan
On how to follow up the team's performance at UTSA: "It is always fun to start the year with a win, but that week is done and in the past.  Since returning from Texas we've been focusing our effort and our preparation for the Prairie Club.  We are leaving our region so the course will be quite different, we will really need to pay special attention in the practice round and adapt as needed."
On the key to having a chance to be successful this week: "Playing in the Midwest has a lot to do with the elements, it looks like we are on the front end of some cold weather and you know the wind will blow.  It's projecting temperatures in the 70s during the day — which would be beautiful — but that could change.  There is going to be ample room to drive the golf ball, it's a huge complex.  The green complexes are big and undulated with a lot of roll offs into deep bunkers.  With the wind blowing and possible cold temperatures, it is really about being patient and playing the shot in front of you.  I think to be successful this week we will need to be mentally strong and deal well with adversity."

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.

—USA—