BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech men’s golf team will head to a familiar course this weekend, as it returns to the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate Friday-Sunday. The three-day event will be played at the Par-72, 7,147 yards Blackthorn Club golf course in Jonesborough, Tennessee.
This is the eighth consecutive year that the Hokies will compete in the event, hosted by East Tennessee State University. Tech won the event in 2007 and the Hokies’ Scott Vincent claimed medalist honors in 2013.
The 15-team tournament features teams from across the country. Tech is joined by fellow ACC members Louisville and Virginia this year. Six members of the field, including the Hokies at No. 50, are ranked in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. No. 12 Virginia and No. 13 Kent State lead the field.
Sarit Suwannarut, a freshman from Bangkok, Thailand, will lead off for the Hokies. The newcomer had a pair of third place finishes in his first two collegiate events and tied for 13th last week at UNC. He leads the Hokies in stroke average at 69.00.
Playing second for Tech is Logan Yates. A sophomore from Ruckersville, Virginia, Yates is second on the team in scoring at 70.29 and had two top-10 finishes in the first two events of the season.
Mark Lawrence Jr., will play the third spot for the Hokies. A sophomore from Richmond, Virginia, Lawrence is third in scoring average at 70.33 and second in crunch time scoring. He finished fifth at Marshall to open the season. He had to withdraw last week at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate due to back spasms, but is expected to be back at full strength this weekend.
Playing the four spot for Tech is Joey Lane. The senior from Great Falls, Virginia, secured his first collegiate win at VCU in September. He won the Virginia State Amateur and the prestigious Eastern Amateur over the summer.
Drew Johnson will be in the fifth position for Tech. The senior from Oak Ridge, North Carolina was 14that Marshall and has started every event this season.
Two Hokies will be competing as individuals this weekend. Ian Hildebrand, a junior from Purcellville, Virginia, has made one start this season for the Hokies. Tom Crow, a freshman from Virginia Beach, Virginia, also will be making his second appearance of the fall.
Practice rounds are Thursday and the competition begins Friday morning. Live stats will be available on Hokiesports.com, via a link from Golfstat.com. The Hokies will tee off at 11 a.m. on Friday morning, grouped with Louisville and Tennessee.
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