Alabama Men’s Golf Set to Welcome New Event to Shoal Creek with SEC Match Play Hosted by Jerry Pate

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men's golf team is back in action beginning on Sunday as it welcomes the other 13 SEC teams for SEC Match Play hosted by Jerry Pate. The three-day event will span Sunday through Tuesday and will be played at the par 72, 7,370-yard Shoal Creek Club course.

All 14 SEC teams will compete in head-to-head match play, with 36 holes contested Sunday and 18 holes played Monday and Tuesday. Every team is guaranteed to play matches each day, even if eliminated. Winners will remain in the championship bracket en route to Tuesday's final match.

The Alabama Lineup/Tournament Schedule

Alabama's lineup for match play is Thomas Ponder, Canon Claycomb, JP Cave, Tyler Lipscomb and Jones Free
Ponder is the Tide's most experienced player when it comes to match play, competing in seven matches and owning a 4-3-0 overall mark
Claycomb (1-1), Cave (0-2) and Lipscomb (0-2) have all played in two career head-to-head matches
Free will be making his Crimson Tide debut
Sunday pool play begins with 36 holes, 18-hole matches in the morning:
- Hole No. 1
  - 7:30 a.m. – Texas A&M vs. Vanderbilt
  - 7:50 a.m. – LSU vs. Alabama
  - 8:20 a.m. – Arkansas vs. Mississippi State
  - 8:40a.m. – Auburn vs. Ole Miss
- Hole No. 10
  - 7:50 a.m. – Florida vs South Carolina
  - 8:20 a.m. – Georgia vs Kentucky
  - 8:40 a.m. – Tennessee vs Missouri
Afternoon 18-hole matches will have pre-determined pairings
- Hole No. 1
  - 1:00 p.m. – Texas A&M vs. LSU/Alabama winner
  - 1:20 p.m. – Arkansas/Mississippi State winner vs. Auburn/Ole Miss winner
  - 1:50 p.m. – LSU/Alabama loser vs. Florida/South Carolina loser
  - 2:10 p.m. – Arkansas/Mississippi State loser vs. Georgia/Kentucky loser
- Hole No. 10
  - 1:00 p.m. – Vanderbilt vs. Florida/South Carolina winner
  - 1:20 p.m. – Georgia/Kentucky winner vs. Tennessee/Missouri winner
  - 2:10 p.m. – Auburn/Ole Miss loser vs. Tennessee/Missouri loser

Tournament Preview

After a 35-year run, the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate Golf Tournament has transitioned into SEC Match Play hosted by Jerry Pate

The field of 14 teams includes six of the top 25 teams in the NCAA Men's Golf rankings led by 7th-ranked Vanderbilt, Texas A&M (13), Georgia (14), Arkansas (15), Auburn (17), and Tennessee (22)
The field also includes four of the top 15 PGA Tour U players competing: Sam Bennett, Texas A&M, (2); Ryan Hall, South Carolina, (4); Jackson Suber, Univ. of Mississippi, (11); and Trent Phillips, Univ. of Georgia, (12)
Admission is free and fans are welcome to attend

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