The No. 15/16 Tennessee men’s golf team is set to begin its third tournament of the spring season at the Pauma Valley Collegiate, which will take place from March 16 through March 18 at Pauma Valley Country Club in California.
This event is significant as it brings together a strong field of collegiate teams, including nine ranked in the top 20 nationally. The competition provides an opportunity for Tennessee to test itself against some of the best programs, such as No. 2 Virginia, No. 3 Florida, and No. 6 LSU.
The Vols are making their second appearance at this tournament after finishing fifth last year among a competitive field that included nine top-25 teams. In that event, Tennessee closed at five-under-par while LSU claimed the title at twenty-seven-under-par. Lance Simpson led Tennessee individually with an eleventh-place finish.
This year’s lineup features Simpson, who leads the team with a scoring average of 70.06 for the season but is looking to rebound after his lowest finish at the Cabo Collegiate. Jackson Herrington will make his final appearance before competing in the Masters Tournament; he has posted consecutive six-under-par finishes this spring and tied for sixth place most recently. Seniors Josh Hill and Reed Lotter bring experience to the squad, while freshmen Chase Kyes and Luke Smith have both recorded multiple top-25 finishes early in their collegiate careers.
The tournament will be played over three days on a par-71 course measuring 7,311 yards and is considered one of California’s toughest courses due to its location on the foothills of Palomar Mountain.
Looking ahead, Tennessee aims to improve upon last year’s result as it faces off against a challenging field that includes Colorado State, East Tennessee State, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Loyola Marymount, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Princeton, San Diego schools (San Diego and San Diego State), SMU, Texas Tech, Toledo, and others.
