Wake Forest University
ACC Championship
Deacs Ready for ACC Championships in Pinehurst
4/19/2023 10:51:00 AM | Men's Golf
Wake Forest will look to defend its ACC Championship this week at The Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst, N.C.
PINEHURST, N.C. – After winning the ACC Championship a year ago, the Wake Forest men's golf team will look to defend its title this week at the Country Club of North Carolina, starting Friday morning in Pinehurst, N.C.
The Demon Deacons will look to continue their rich tradition of competing for championships as the Deacs have won an conference-best 19 ACC titles while also having a league-best 22 individual champions at the tournament. The last individual champion for the Deacs came in 2008 when PGA Tour pro Webb Simpson won at Old North State Club in Uwharrie Point, N.C.
ACC Championships by School
- Wake Forest, 19
- Georgia Tech, 16
- Clemson, 10
- North Carolina, 10
- Duke, 8
ACC Individual Champions by School (includes ties)
- Wake Forest, 22
- North Carolina, 14
- Georgia Tech, 11
- Clemson, 8
- Duke, 6
- NC State, 6
The reigning ACC Champions and NCAA Regional Champions will look to defend their title as they come into the tournament as the No. 5 seed and one of six teams currently ranked in the top 30 of the latest GolfStat rankings.
The Deacs are coming off one of the best tournaments of the season at the Calusa Cup, claiming a runner-up finish. In route to the runner-up finish, the Demon Deacons, who posted a 54-holes score of 870 (+6), placed ahead of No. 1 Vanderbilt, No. 2 Texas Tech and No. 5 Arizona State in addition to beating three other top 40 ranked teams. This elite field helped prepare the Deacs for their postseason run last season as a third place finish in 2022 propelled the Demon Deacons to victories at the ACC Championship and the NCAA Regionals.
Earlier this spring, 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.
The Kilkenny, Ireland native was most recently the highest finisher for the Deacs at the Valspar Collegiate
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
- Michael Brennan
- Jay Haas
- Lanny Wadkins
- 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.
- Brennan (2022)
- Sahith Theegala (2017, 2020)
- Patrick Cantlay (2011)
- Paul Casey (1998)
- Tiger Woods (1996)
- Corey Pavin (1978, 1981)
Alongside Brennan and Power, sophomore Scotty Kennon is back in the lineup for the fourth time this spring. He has three top-20 finishes in the last four starts.
Friday's first round is scheduled for a 7:30 a.m. (ET) start as the Wake Forest team paired with No. 4 seed Virginia and No. 6 seed Louisville. Play will be continued throughout the second round
THE DEACS' LINEUP
Brennan, who has now risen to No. 17 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. After finishing 20th at the Valspar, Brennan was right back in contention for the individual crown at the Calusa Cup, finishing tied for second.
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. He has been a steady presence in the lineup for the Deacs this spring finishing in the top 25 in every event he has played in. Additionally, his 71.28 stroke average ranks second on the team entering postseason play.
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 had back-to-back top-20 finishes, tying for 12th at the Battle for Briar's Creek and finishing 17th at the Wake Forest Invitational. Additionally, he is coming off one of his better performances of the season picking up a tied for 17th finish at the Calusa Cup.
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 four 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 claimed his best finish of the spring, tying for fourth at the Calusa Cup, finishing as the Deacs' highest finisher.
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 sixth time in his freshman year. He currently has the third-lowest stroke average on the team, 71.86. 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.
WAKE FOREST ALTERNATE
As a freshman, Meisel competed in five events including a pair of events in the lineup, playing in the lineup at the Colonial Collegiate and the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate. He finished tied for 16th in Georgia while also placing in the top 25 four times during the season with his highest finish coming at the Old Town Club Collegiate Invitational where he placed 14th at 5-under-par.
This season Meisel holds a stroke average of 72.59 stroke average. In the Old Town Club Collegiate Invitational, he finished seventh at 4-under-par. He is coming off the Southwestern Invitational where he finished 30th with the help of a 3-under-par final round which tied for the lowest in the field in the final round with Michael Brennan.
Meisel was one of three players to also take part in the exclusive Genesis Collegiate Showcase in mid-February. He helped his group win the team championship at the Genesis Collegiate Showcase, marking the first time Wake Forest has claimed the team title at the event.
PARTICIPATING TEAMS AT ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS (12)
|
Seed |
School |
GolfStat Rank (As of Tuesday) |
|
1 |
North Carolina |
2 |
|
2 |
Florida State |
6 |
|
3 |
Georgia Tech |
12 |
|
4 |
Virginia |
16 |
|
5 |
Wake Forest |
28 |
|
6 |
Louisville |
27 |
|
7 |
Duke |
34 |
|
8 |
NC State |
53 |
|
9 |
Clemson |
55 |
|
10 |
Notre Dame |
57 |
|
11 |
Virginia Tech |
115 |
|
12 |
Boston College |
127 |
COURSE INFORMATION
- ACC Championship
- The Country Club of North Carolina (Dogwood Course) - Pinehurst, N.C. – Par 72 - 7301 Yards
- Events Hosted:
- U.S. Amateur (1980),
- U.S. Girls' Junior (2010),
- U.S. Junior Amateur (2021),
- Carolinas Open (3 times),
- Southern Amateur (1971, 1979, 1985, 1990, 1996, 2007, 2017),
- U.S. Professional Match Play Championship (2023)
- ACC Men's Golf Championship (2023)
- The Dogwood Course opened in 1963 surrounding Watson Lake and Lake Dornoch, the two biggest water features in the club. The course was designed by Ellis Maples and William Byrd. A full 18 holes were constructed. The 1999 renovation was overseen by Arthur Hills and included a rebuilding of the greens, tees, and bunkers. In 2016, the course was switched over to Zeon Zoysia grass during the renovation by Kris Spence. The course is currently ranked 2nd in the Top Courses of the Sandhills Region and 3rd in the Top 100 Courses of North Carolina.
- Events Hosted:
- The Country Club of North Carolina (Dogwood Course) - Pinehurst, N.C. – Par 72 - 7301 Yards
LIVE SCORING
ACC Championship
TEE TIMES
Friday, April 21 - First Round - Play begins at 7:30 a.m. with Wake Forest teeing off of No. 1 with continuous play through the second round.
Saturday, April 22 - Third Round - Play begins at 9:00 a.m.
Sunday, April 23 - Semifinals of Match Play - Play begins at 9:00 a.m.
Monday, April 24 - Finals of Match Play - Play begins at 9:00 a.m.
Players Mentioned
