Thursday, March 12, 2020

Leading College Golf Programs Return to Reynolds Lake Oconee for Annual Linger Longer Invitational

Tournament will be played March 20-22


(Greensboro, Ga.) – Regarded as one of the top collegiate golf events in the nation, the 15th annual Linger Longer Invitational (LLI) at Reynolds Lake Oconee will take place at The Landing course, March 20-22, 2020.

The Linger Longer Invitational showcases leading collegiate players from around the country as they compete for the individual and team titles in a 54-hole stroke-play tournament.

Five-time LLI team champions, No. 16-ranked University of Georgia, will return to Reynolds to defend its title against a strong field of competitors, including No. 10-ranked SMU and four-time LLI champion University of Alabama.

Some of the most competitive college golf programs in the country will contend for the title, including: former two-time NCAA champion Augusta University, Austin Peay, co-hosts Kennesaw State University and Mercer University, Georgia Southern, Louisiana Tech, Marquette, Penn State, UAB, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, UNC Greensboro, University of South Alabama and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

This year’s individual field is also composed of some of the country’s top-ranked collegiate players. Among them is Noah Goodwin, a junior at SMU, who is ranked 6th nationally; Trent Phillips, a sophomore at the University of Georgia, currently ranked 8th; and Jonathan Brightwell, a UNC Greensboro senior ranked 1oth. Last year’s individual winner, Georgia’s Spencer Ralston, is currently ranked 13th in Golfweek’s Men’s Amateur Rankings and 36th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, and his teammate, Davis Thompson, is No. 4 in the Golfweek rankings and No. 8 in the WAGR.

Linger Longer Invitational alumni include PGA TOUR players with combined earnings of close to $250 million and 46 tour victories. Former LLI participants include four-time major champion Brooks Koepka (Florida State), 2017 PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas (Alabama), 2015 Players champion Rickie Fowler (Oklahoma State), Russell Henley, Brian Harman and Chris Kirk (Georgia), Beau Hossler (Texas) and Kyle Stanley (Clemson).

The Linger Longer Invitational has been held at three of the six golf courses at Reynolds Lake Oconee – twice at The Oconee (2006, 2007), followed by four years at The Landing (2008-2010, 2019) and eight years at Great Waters (2011-2018). This year’s tournament returns to The Landing, a highly regarded Bob Cupp design.

Among the special experiences of the Linger Longer Invitational is player housing, provided by families throughout Reynolds Lake Oconee, ranked one of the “25 Best Golf Communities in North America” by GOLF Magazine. Each year host families personalize the experience and provide players with a “home away from home” during the competition. Tournament week has created lasting friendships, truly setting this event apart from others.

For more information, visit www.reynoldslakeoconee.com.

No comments: