AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 6 Auburn men's golf team is set to tee off the 2018-19 season at the Carpet Capital Collegiate, Sept. 7-9. The annual tournament takes place at The Farm Golf Club, a par-72, 7,178-yard course in Rocky Face, Ga.
The sixth-ranked Tigers are joined on the links by a loaded field in No. 2 Alabama, No. 7 Georgia Tech, No. 8 Florida, No. 9 LSU, No. 11 Cal, No. 13 Clemson, Chattanooga, Colorado State, Dalton State, Kennesaw State, North Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
"It will be a great test this week on a fantastic golf course," head coach Nick Clinard said. "We have played well here the past few years and it will test our course management and emotional control. It's another opportunity to compete against the best, and the players are looking forward to competing."
In the past four tournaments, Auburn has finished in the top three as a team all four times, including winning the 2015 installment, with a total score of 43-under.
The Tigers' lineup features Graysen Huff, Andrew Kozan, Brandon Mancheno, Wells Padgett and Jacob Solomon with Ryan Knop playing as an individual.
Huff, a junior from Eagle, Idaho, averaged 73.33 strokes per round and produced seven rounds at or below par, including five below par, last season.
Kozan participated in six tournaments a season ago. The sophomore from West Palm Beach, Fla. had a career-best finish in a tie for fourth at the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate when he shot 2-under.
A preseason All-American, Mancheno returns to the squad after one of the best freshmen seasons in program history last year. The 2017-18 SEC Freshman of the Year averaged 70.6 strokes per round - the second-lowest all-time in the Auburn record books and had a team-best 25 rounds at or below par.
Padgett, a sophomore from Wichita, Kan., had a successful summer highlighted by a win at the Southwestern Amateur after winning a playoff at 12-under.
Solomon has seen the most success of any Tiger competing this weekend at the Carpet Capital Collegiate. The senior from Dublin, Calif. has produced three top-30 placings in his career at the annual tournament with his best finish coming last year - 10th at 2-over.
Knop, a junior from Pleasanton, Calif., racked up four top-20 finishes a season ago and had seven rounds below par, including three rounds in the 60s.
Auburn is paired with Alabama and Georgia Tech off the first tee box on Friday at 8:30 a.m. CT. Live scoring for the tournament can be found on www.golfstat.com.
No. 6 Tigers to tee off 2018-19 season at Carpet Capital Collegiate
