MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama men's golf team will play its first event of the spring season when the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate gets underway on Sunday at the Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course.

The event will include three rounds in as many days, with action beginning on the first and 10th holes at 7:50 a.m. (CST) on the first morning.

The Jaguars' lineup will include Yannick Schütz, Jordan Plunkett, Mathias Lorentzen, Eli Mitchell and Anders Emil Ejlersen.  Dawson Atkinson, Kyle Robinson, Will Skipp, Jacob LeCroy and Connor Reid will be participating as individuals on South's 'B' squad.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (host): Mobile Bay Intercollegiate (South Alabama)
Presented by: Hampton by Hilton Providence Park/Airport and Mobile Sports Authority
Dates: 2/14-16 (Sunday-Tuesday)
Format: 18 holes Sunday, 18 holes Monday, 18 holes Tuesday
Start times: 7:50 a.m. (CST) start from split tees Sunday and Monday, 9:30 a.m. shotgun start 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=21477

THE FIELD (15)
#5 UAB, Davidson, Illinois, Illinois State, Indiana, Kansas State, Kent State, Lipscomb, Louisville, Michigan, South Alabama, South Alabama 'B', Southern Mississippi, Toledo, Western Kentucky

THE JAGUAR LINEUP
-Yannick Schütz (R-Sr., Friolzheim, Germany; 9 rds, 71.78 avg, 2 T20s, 68 low 18, 213 low 54, 5 rds =/- par)
-Jordan Plunkett (Jr., Sterrett, Ala; 9 rds, 73.22 avg, 1 T20, 68 low 18, 215 low 54, 3 rds =/- par)
-Mathias Lorentzen (Sr., Hvidovre, Denmark; 17 rds, 73.59 avg, 2 T20s, 67 low 18, 215 low 54, 3 rds =/- par in 2019-20)
-Eli Mitchell (Fr., Meridian, Miss.; 9 rds, 74.56 avg, 70 low 18, 221 low 54, 2 rds =/- par)
-Anders Emil Ejlersen (Fr., Viborg, Denmark; 3 rds, 77.00 avg, 72 low 18, 231 low 54, 1 rd =/- par)
-*Dawson Atkinson (Jr., Trussville, Ala.; 9 rds, 74.33 avg, 69 low 18, 218 low 54, 1 rd =/- par)
-*Kyle Robinson (Sr., Fayetteville, Ark.; 9 rds, 75.11 avg, 1 T20, 71 low 18, 214 low 54, 4 rds =/- par)
-*Will Skipp (Fr., Stockton-on-Tees, England; 3 rds, 76.67 avg, 76 low 18, 230 low 54)
-*Jacob LeCroy (So., Anniston, Ala.; 3 rds, 77.00 avg, 76 low 18, 231 low 54)
-*Connor Reid (Jr., Opelika, Ala.; making South Alabama debut)
*denotes competing on South Alabama 'B' team

TEE SHOTS
-It's the eighth straight year that USA will begin the spring half of the schedule playing host to the event, while it marks the 14th season in a row that the Jaguars will compete in the tournament.
-South has placed among the top four in the team standings three of the last four seasons and has finished in the top half of the field on 11 of 13 occasions.
-Atkinson was the Jaguars' top finisher at last year's event — posting a 6-under-par 210 54-hole score to tie for 11th place — although Plunkett, Lorentzen and LeCroy all carded three-round totals at or below par as well.
-Schütz recorded his best score over 54 holes at the collegiate level with a 210 at the 2018 edition of the event, while Robinson fired a career-low 66 in the second round the following year.
-Plunkett led South in its final outing of the fall with a 217 two-day total at the Little Rock Invitational, which included a career-best-tying 68 in the second of three rounds.
-Schütz was the team's best finisher in the other two tournament during the fall campaign after posting top 10 results at both the Jim Rivers Intercollegiate and Graeme McDowell Invitational.
-Not only does he pace the Jags in scoring average, his five rounds at or below par are most on the squad.
-Lorentzen will be making his season debut for USA; he had the team's low 54-hole score in each of the last two events last spring before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic cut short the campaign.
-Mitchell equaled the low 18-hole score of his debut season with the Jags last time out after leading the team with a 2-under-par 70 in the first round at Little Rock.
-It will be the first appearance in the lineup for Ejlersen since the season-opening Jim Rivers Intercollegiate, where he carded an even-par 72 in the first of three rounds at the event.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Ben Hannan
On beginning the spring season: "It's been an interesting start to the semester under our current conditions with the pandemic, but the guys are really excited to get going.  Following the winter break, we've tried to log rounds, knock the rust off and get in a competitive mindset.  Weather will definitely play a factor this week, so we need to be ready as much mentally as we are physically.  We're excited to be able to compete and looking forward to getting started."
On the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate: "We have been able to put together another strong field nationally, you have some top-ranked programs and players competing this week.  It will definitely be strong competition and give us a good look at where we are on the national level.  We're fortunate and thankful that these programs choose to play in the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate, and for all the support this community provides to make this a premier event to start the spring."

Photo provided by bradpuckettphotography.com

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—