Wake Forest University
Valspar Collegiate
Deacs Set to Take Part in Valspar Collegiate
3/26/2023 12:47:00 PM | Men's Golf
Wake Forest is one of 11 top 40 teams as the field includes many of the top teams in the nation.
PALM CITY, Fla. – After capturing the team title and individual title at the Battle of Briar's Creek earlier this spring, the Wake Forest men's golf team will look to return to that form as they take part in a strong field at the Valspar Collegiate, starting Monday in Palm City, Fla.
The reigning ACC Champions and NCAA Regional Champions are one of 11 top 40 teams in the field according to the latest Golfstat rankings. The loaded field includes six of the top 10 teams in the country as this will be an excellent test in the penultimate regular season tournament.
The Deacs have been playing some of their better golf as of late with the lowest rounds in the first and third round of the Wake Forest Invitational. Unfortunately, it was not enough to get the team win, but five Demon Deacons finished inside of the top 25 including four who will be in the lineup this week in Florida.
Freshman Andrew McLauchlan who tied as the Deacs top finisher will be inserted into the lineup this week. He tied for ninth at Pinehurst No. 2, his third top-10 finish of his freshman year.
Two tournaments ago, Wake Forest claimed a nine-stroke team win in their last outing and were paced by the second individual title of senior Mark Power's career as he took home medalist honors at the Battle of Briar's Creek by four strokes.
Power led nearly the entire way. He was 2-under or better in every round, the only player to do so in the field. Additionally, he saved his best round for the final round, posting a bogey-free 68 (-4) to claim the title. During his path to his second collegiate title, Power only had five bogies over the three rounds.
Leading the lineup again will be junior Michael Brennan. The Leesburg, Va. native captured his fifth career individual victory in the Southwestern Invitational in January over a loaded field.
With a pair of wins in each of his two seasons in Winston-Salem, Brennan now has joined rare company with five or more wins in program history.
He is now alongside Jay Haas, Lanny Wadkins and Cameron Young to have five titles to their name at Wake Forest. Only three Demon Deacons have more than five titles in their collegiate career: Bill Haas (10), Gary Hallberg (9) and Curtis Strange (8).
Wake Forest Golfers to Win Five Collegiate Events
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Jay Haas
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Lanny Wadkins
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Cameron Young
Brennan Michael joined quite the company to win the Southwestern title in its 40-plus year history as it has been the start to illustrious pro careers for many.
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Brennan (2022)
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Sahith Theegala (2017, 2020)
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Patrick Cantlay (2011)
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Paul Casey (1998)
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Tiger Woods (1996)
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Corey Pavin (1978, 1981)
Alongside Brennan and Power, sophomore Scotty Kennon is back in the lineup for the third time this spring. Last season at the Valspar Collegiate, Kenno was the top Demon Deacon on the leaderboard, finishing eighth in the field at 8-under-par. This included a 64 (-7) in the final round of the tournament which tied him for the lowest score on the course.
Tomorrow's first round is scheduled for an 8:30 a.m. (ET) shotgun start as the Wake Forest team tees off between holes No. 9 and No. 12. The Demon Deacons top team will be paired with Ohio State, Northwestern and Texas on the opening day of play.
THE DEACS' LINEUP
Brennan, who has now risen to No. 18 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, made his PGA Tour debut at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in February. That Monday, he earned a spot in the field as the only amateur, setting a Collegiate Showcase record, shooting a five-under-par 66.
He will look to claim potentially his sixth individual title, trying to join elite company in Wake Forest history. He was named a watch list member for the Fred Haskins Award to start the season.
In the Southwestern Invitational, Brennan claimed his fifth career individual title, shooting the lowest score in the field in both the second and third round to win by a stroke over the loaded field. He followed that up by finishing in the top five at the Battle of Briar's Creek and claimed his third consecutive top-10 finish at the Wake Forest Invitational.
Earlier this spring Power claimed the Battle at Briar's Creek by four strokes over the field, the second collegiate title of his career. He led nearly the entire way while also leading the Deacs to the team title, the first of the season for the Deacs.
Last season, he helped the team to a title at the 2021 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. He was one of three Demon Deacons to compete at the Genesis Collegiate Showcase. In the ACC semifinal, Power provided the second point in the win over North Carolina.
Kennon had an impressive showing at the 2021 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, the first career top-10 finish. Kennon picked up his second top-10 finish of the season at the Valspar Collegiate with the help of his best round of his young career. He finished eighth, firing a final round 64 (-7), moving up 20 spots on the final day of competition.
The sophomore was one of one of three Demon Deacons to be sub par for all three rounds at the 2022 NCAA Regionals, recording a 68-69-69 to place tied for ninth on the individual leaderboard at 4-under-par. He is coming off a tied for 30th finish at the Southwestern, ending the tournament as the second-highest Demon Deacon.
He is coming off back-to-back top-20 finishes, tying for 12th at the Battle for Briar's Creek and finishing 17th at the Wake Forest Invitational. Those results are the best of his sophomore season and he will return to the Valspar where he finished eighth last season.
In his collegiate debut at the Maui Jim Individual, McLauchlan finished tied for sixth on the leaderboard. He was helped by turning in a debut round of 64 (-8) that was bogey free and included six birdies and an eagle on the par-5 ninth. He was tied for the lead after the opening round.
This was the first of three top-10 finishes during his freshman season, posting his best tournament of the season at the Old Town Collegiate where he was 5-under-par and fourth in the field. McLauchlan is coming off his best finish of the spring as he was tied as the top Wake Forest player at the Wake Forest Invitational at Pinehurst No. 2, tying for ninth in the field.
Before coming to Wake Forest, he participated in the 2022 U.S. Amateur at Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus, N.J and is also the reigning Jones Cup Junior Invitational champion.
Owens plays in the lineup for the Demon Deacons for the fifth time in his freshman year. He currently has the third-lowest stroke average on the team, 71.61. As a junior, he ranked as high as No. 9 nationally in the AJGA standings. In March, he qualified for the Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented on the Korn Ferry Tour as a Monday qualifier. Additionally, he reached the Round of 32 at the 2022 North and South Amateur Championship and is the reigning LHSAA Individual Champion.
Owens, who recorded the lowest debut round in program history, finished as the Deacs top player in the Maui Jim Intercollegiate, tying for 13th individually. He has two top-20 finishes during his freshman season
PLAYING AS AN INDIVIDUAL
Stirsman was a key piece to the Deacs tournament run in 2022, serving as the alternate for the ACC Championship, NCAA Regional and NCAA Championship.
Last season, he captured the Wolfpack Invitational on Feb. 27 in Raleigh, N.C. This marked the first individual title in his two seasons at Wake Forest, winning the tournament by five strokes and being one of just two players in the 41-player field to be under par for the tournament.
He played in the lineup during the first round of the NCAA Championship last season and helped Wake Forest finish third at the Calusa Cup.
PARTICIPATING TEAMS (16)
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No. 36 Wake Forest
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No. 2 Arizona State
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No. 3 Texas Tech
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No. 4 North Carolina
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No. 7 Florida State
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No. 9 Pepperdine
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No. 10 Texas
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No. 14 Texas A&M
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No. 18 Georgia Southern
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No. 26 Northwestern
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No. 37 Duke
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No. 48 Houston
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Lamar
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Marquette
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Minnesota
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Ohio State
COURSE INFORMATION
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Valspar Collegiate
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The Floridian - Palm City, Fla. – Par 71 - 6921 Yards
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LIVE SCORING
Valspar Collegiate
TEE TIMES
Monday, March 26 - First & Second Round - Play begins with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. ET with continuous play through the second round
Tuesday, March 27 - Third Round - Play begins at 8:30 a.m. ET
Players Mentioned
