No. 20 Wake Forest Set to Defend Title at Pinehurst No. 2

PINEHURST, N.C. – The No. 20 Wake Forest men's golf team is set to defend its title at the Wake Forest Invitational at Pinehurst No. 2, starting on Monday.

There will be four fellow Atlantic Coast Conference schools in the field as the two Demon Deacons teams will be joined by No. 24 Clemson, No. 31 NC State and No. 57 Duke. The Deacs enter the tournament as the highest ranked team in the field of 11 teams.

The Demon Deacons will be in search of their second tournament victory as a team this season after winning the Old Town Club Collegiate Invitational at the end of September.

In addition to defending the team title from a season ago, sophomore Michael Brennan will look to defend his individual crown. Last year, Brennan claimed the title with a score of 5-under-par including rounds of 66 (-4) and 68 (-2) in the final two rounds of the tournament.

Tomorrow's first round is scheduled for a 8:30 a.m. ET shotgun start with the Demon Deacons teeing off between hole No. 1 and No. 4 as well as No. 13 and No. 16. Wake Forest A will play with Clemson and San Francisco while Wake Forest B will play alongside ETSU and East Carolina.

THE DEACS' LINEUP FOR THE WAKE FOREST INVITATIONAL

Michael Brennan

Brennan, who has now risen to No. 16 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, is coming off his PGA Tour debut at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. That Monday, he earned a spot in the field as the only amateur, setting a Collegiate Showcase record Monday, shooting a five-under-par 66. He will look to defend his title this week

Alex Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick also is the current No. 6 ranked player in the World Amateur Golf rankings and is No. 5 on the PGA Tour University rankings. He is looking for his third top-15 finish after a tie for 13th finish at the Colonial Collegiate. Fitzpatrick also tied for medalist honors with Brennan at the Old Town Club Collegiate. Most recently, he tied for 16th at the Watersound Invitational, his fifth consecutive top-20 finish.

Parker Gillam

Gillam was the Demon Deacons top finisher at the NCAA Championships as he tied for 13th on the individual leaderboard. The performance helped him earn PING All-America Honorable Mention honors. He finished tied for 26th at the Old Town Club Collegiate Invitational. Gillam also just qualified for the 2022 Canadian Tour, tying for seventh in qualifying school last month.

Mark Power

Power helped the team to a title at the Old Town Club Collegiate Invitational, tying for 35th on the individual leaderboard. He was helped by a 66 (-4) in the second round of the tournament. Most recently, he was one of three Demon Deacons to compete at the Genesis Collegiate Showcase, playing alongside fellow Irishman Rory McIlroy.

Scotty Kennon

Kennon had an impressive showing at the Old Town Club Collegiate Invitational. He was par or below in all three rounds of the tournament, finishing the week tied for ninth and nine-under par, his highest finish to date and first career top-10 finish.

COMPETING FOR WAKE FOREST SECOND TEAM

PARTICIPATING TEAMS AT WAKE FOREST INVITATIONAL (11)

No. 20 Wake Forest
No. 24 Clemson
No. 31 NC State
No. 32 East Tennessee State
No. 53 San Francisco
No. 57 Duke
No. 66 Kentucky
No. 94 Iowa
No. 116 Yale
No. 147 East Carolina
No. 154 Augusta

COURSE INFORMATION

Wake Forest Invitational

Pinehurst No. 2 - Pinehurst, N.C. – Par 70 - 7125 Yards

The course has served as the site of more single golf championships than any course in America and hosted back-to-back U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open Championships for the first time in 2014. As the first U.S. Open Anchor Site, the championship will return to Pinehurst in 2024, 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047.

LIVE SCORING

Wake Forest Invitational

GolfStat.com

TEE TIMES

Monday, March 6 - First & Second Round - Play begins with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. ET with continuous play through the second round

Tuesday, March 7 - Third Round - Play begins at 8:30 a.m. ET