Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Inverness Intercollegiate
Deacs to Open 2024-25 Season at 17th Annual Inverness Intercollegiate
9/8/2024 3:35:00 PM | Men's Golf
TOLEDO, Ohio- The Wake Forest men's golf team is set to open their 2024-25 season at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio for the 17th Annual Inverness Intercollegiate starting Monday (September 9th).
This will be a true first test for the Deacs, as thirteen of the 14 programs competing in the Inverness Intercollegiate were represented in NCAA postseason play last year as a team or individually, highlighted by defending national team champion Auburn.
Auburn is ranked No. 1 in the 2024-25 Preseason Bushnell/Golfweek DI Coaches Poll, joined by No. 4 Vanderbilt, No. 6 Virginia, No. 12 Oklahoma, and No. 15 Texas Tech. Also receiving votes in the poll from the Inverness field are Wake Forest, Clemson, Louisville, and SMU.
The 54-hole event will begin with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. EDT with 36 holes on Monday, Sept. 9. Tee times on No. 1 and No. 10 for the final round on Tuesday, Sept. 10 will begin at 8:30 a.m. EDT.
Highlights from Last Season
The Wake Forest men's golf team claimed its first title of the fall last year (Sept. 19, 2023) as the Demon Deacons finished in first place at the Highlands Invitational. The Deacs shot 31-under-par as a team and tied Missouri for first place in Chicago.
After being just two strokes short of the top-15 cutline of for their 48th NCAA Championship appearance in program history, the Deacs will return with a veteran lineup along with some new faces this season. This marked the 13th NCAA Championship appearance under the direction of head coach Jerry Haas including the fourth in the last five years.
The Wake Forest men's golf team had two top-10 finishes and six top-5 finishes this spring.
-
Southwest Invitational- 8th place
-
Invitational at the Ford- 2nd place
-
Wake Forest Invitational-3rd place
-
Louisiana Classics- 4th place
-
Valspar Collegiate Invitational- 9th place
-
Calusa Cup-3rd place
-
ACC Championship- T2nd place
-
NCAA Austin Regional- 5th place
The Deacs' Lineup
Collin Adams
Adams played in a career-high nine events this season, capturing two top-10 finishes. Adams had his best career finish last season, tying for sixth at The Wake Forest Invitational, and carding a season low round of 67. Adams got hot in round two, finishing three-under (67) and tallying the Deacs only eagle of the tournament on hole No. 10. Finished tied for 25 at the NCAA Austin Regional, ultimately helping the Deacs to a NCAA Championship appearance. In his first appearance of the 2024 season, Collin Adams made six birdies on the back nine of round one at the Invitational at the Ford, and finished T33. This performance helped the Deacs win their first title of the 2023 fall season.
Jakob Melin
This will be Melin's first outing as a Demon Deacon. Prior to Wake Forest, Melin was named to the 2024 WCC Men's Golf All-Conference Team. Notably, this marks the second-straight year in which Melin has received conference honors after being named the WCC Freshman of the Year and an Honorable Mention in 2023. Melin finished the season ranked as No. 176 on the Scoreboard Rankings. Additionally, he ranks No. 239 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and is the No. 6 ranked amateur from Sweden.
Kyle Haas
Haas competed in 24 total rounds during his freshman campaign. He secured the highest finish of his career (T3) at the Invitational at the Ford carding a season low round of 68. Haas shot his best in round one, 68 (-4), and had some key moments including the Deacs' lone eagle of the tournament on the par-5 11th. Haas claimed three top-25 finishes, including a top-15 finish at the Bank of Tennessee Invitational (T12). Playing as an individual in the Southwestern Invitational, Kyle Haas ended round one with two birdies on the back nine. After his second birdie to get back to even par, Haas parred the next eleven holes, and ended his first tournament of the 2024 season T42.
Marshall Meisel
Meisel became a mainstay in the lineup competing in 11 events over 33 rounds this season, and captured four top-15 finishes. He had season best finishes at Louisiana Classics (T7) and the Calusa Cup (T9), and made his first postseason appearances in the ACC Championship, NCAA Austin Regional and NCAA Championships.The junior came up clutch for the Deacs in the 5v5 tie breaker format at the NCAA Austin Regional. Meisel birdied the par-5 11th to defeat his opponent by a stroke, ultimately sending the Deacs to their 48th NCAA Championship appearance. Finished T18 in ACC Championship stroke play. In his outing at the Calusa Cup, Marshall Meisel shot his best round in the final round, scoring a low 67 (-5). The junior went bogey free and tallied four birdies on the back nine. Meisel ended the Calusa Cup tied for ninth place, his second top-10 finish of the spring. Meisel led the Deacs in the Louisiana Classics, tying for seventh overall and scoring 4-under (212). In rounds one and two, Meisel ended tied for tenth on the individual leaderboard at 3-under-par through 36 holes.
Boyd Owens
Owens competed in five events last season for the Deacs. The rising junior had a season-best performance at the Highlands Invitational (T36), helping Wake Forest claim the team title. During the 2022-23 season, Owens ended the year with three top-20 finishes including a season-best performance at the Battle at the Run where he placed fourth and helped guide the Deacs to their second team title of the season. He ended his rookie season third on the team in stroke average at 71.96 including six rounds in the 60s.
Playing as an Individual
Tom Haberer
In the ACC Championship semi final, freshman Tom Haberer fought hard in his match all day against the No. 47 amateur in the world. After a near hole-in-one on hole No. 17, Haberer made birdie and had the opportunity to tie the match on the final hole of the competition. Maxwell Ford of North Carolina won the match by one stroke, ultimately advancing the Tar Heels to the championship. Haberer competed in 10 events over 29 rounds during his rookie season and made his first NCAA Regional and NCAA Championship appearances. At the NCAA Championship, Haberer finished tied for 40th and tied as the top Deac on the individual leaderboard ending round three at even-par. Haberer secured the highest finish of his career (T5) at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate during the 2023 fall season.
The Field
-
No. 1 Auburn
-
Cal Poly
-
RV Clemson
-
College of Charleston
-
RV Louisville
-
Michigan
-
No. 12 Oklahoma
-
Purdue
-
RV SMU
-
No. 15 Texas Tech
-
Toledo (Host)
-
No. 4 Vanderbilt
-
No. 6 Virginia
-
RV Wake Forest
Tournament Format
The 54-hole event will begin with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. EDT with 36 holes on Monday, Sept. 9. Tee times on No. 1 and No. 10 for the final round on Tuesday, Sept. 10 will begin at 8:30 a.m. EDT.
Live Stats
Live stats will be available via GolfStat
Where to Watch
Monday's YouTube coverage is expected to begin at 10:00 a.m. and last until late afternoon. There will primarily be coverage of Holes 12 and 18 with running leaderboard & score graphics and natural sound.
On Tuesday, the ESPN+ coverage will begin at noon and stay on air through the conclusion of the tournament. They will be covering Holes 12, 15, 16, 17, and 18 as well as doing live interviews with golfers and coaches after they've finished No. 18.
About the Course
Inverness Intercollegiate - Par 69 - 6972
The Inverness Club was founded in 1903 and along with the University of Toledo served as host for the 2009 NCAA Men's Golf Championships. Inverness will host the 2027 U.S. Women's Open and the 2029 U.S. Amateur and the 2021 Solheim Cup and has also hosted four U.S. Opens, two U.S. Senior Opens, two PGA Championships and one U..S Amateur, one U.S. Junior Amateur and the 2021 Solheim Cup.
About the Inverness Intercollegiate
No. 15 Texas Tech has consecutively won the last two Inverness Intercollegiate tournaments in 2019 and 2022.
Some of the golfers who have played at the Inverness Club during their collegiate careers rank among the best in professional golf. They include major champions Brian Harman (Georgia), Dustin Johnson (Coastal Carolina), Brooks Koepka (Florida State), Colin Morikowa (California) and Patrick Reed (Augusta). Some former Inverness Intercollegiate participants who have played professionally include Viktor Hovland (Oklahoma State), Rickie Fowler (Oklahoma State), Hudson Swafford (Georgia), Nick Watney (Fresno State), Graeme McDowell (UAB), Billy Horschel (Florida), Corey Conners (Kent State). Jimmy Walker (Baylor), Alex Noren (Oklahoma State), Hunter Mahan (Oklahoma State), Jonas Blixt (Florida State), Anthony Kim (Oklahoma), Luke List (Vanderbilt), Kyle Stanley (Clemson), Jamie Lovemark (USC), and J.B. Holmes (Kentucky).
