The eighth-ranked Tennessee men’s golf team is set to tee off its spring outside the mainland United States this weekend, competing in the Puerto Rico Classic in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
The Vols tee off the three-round tournament on Sunday and are scheduled to compete in one round apiece on both Monday and Tuesday.
According to Golfweek’s college rankings, five of the 13 participating teams in the Puerto Rico Classic are ranked inside the top 25. The 13-team field also features four teams that competed in the 2021 NCAA Championship.
Tennessee is coming off of a fall in which it competed in just two stroke play tournaments. The Vols tied for fourth place in both the Blessings Collegiate Invitational and the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate back in October. Tennessee also competed in the SEC Match Play Championships—posting a 2-2 record in four matches at the event.
This weekend marks the second time during the Brennan Webb era that Tennessee has competed in Puerto Rico, as the Vols opened the 2020 spring season at the Puerto Rico Classic. Prior to that, Tennessee had not competed in Puerto Rico as a team since 2011.
THE VOLS’ LINEUP
Spencer Cross
Cross was a member of Tennessee’s lineup in both fall tournaments, recording a pair of top-20 finishes. The Sevierville native also owned the Vols’ highest individual finish of the fall with a fourth-place finish at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational. Cross also posted a perfect 4-0 record at the SEC Match Play Championship. The senior registered a 70.17 stroke average and carded five out of six rounds under par.
Bryce Lewis
Coming off of a sophomore campaign where he posted a 71.56 stroke average (third-best single-season mark in program history), Lewis recorded a 34th place finish at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational and a 26th-place finish at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate. Lewis also posted a 3-1 record at the SEC Match Play Championship.
Tyler Johnson
Johnson recorded two eighth-place finishes in the fall and had the lowest overall stroke average of any Vol during the fall—posting a 70.00 average in six rounds. All six of Johnson’s rounds during the fall were par or better.
Jake Hall
Hall was a member of Tennessee’s lineup at both fall tournaments, recording a pair of top-30 finishes. Competing as an individual, Hall also got a top-five finish under his belt during the fall, as he shot 3-under and finished in third place at the Pinetree Intercollegiate in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Laurent Desmarchais
This weekend marks Desmarchais’ first tournament as a member of Tennessee’s lineup. The Longueuil, Quebec, native competed in one tournament as an individual in the fall—finishing tied for 51st at the Pinetree Intercollegiate.
THE VOLS’ INDIVIDUAL
Cade Russell
The Knoxville native was not a member of Tennessee’s lineup during either of its fall tournaments, but competed twice as an individual—including a sixth-place finish at the Pinetree Intercollegiate. Along with the two tournaments he competed in as an individual, Russell was a member of Tennessee’s five-man lineup at the SEC Match Play Championship—posting a 2-2 record in his four matches.
PARTICIPATING TEAMS (13)
No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 8 Tennessee, No. 10 Ole Miss, No. 12 Georgia, No. 21 Purdue, No. 26 East Tennessee State, No. 36 Michigan State, No. 48 South Carolina, No. 69 College of Charleston, No. 83 Marquette, No. 86 Wisconsin, No. 89 Iowa , No. 175 Maryland
COURSE INFORMATION
Grand Reserve Country Club | Rio Grande, Puerto Rico | Par 72 | 7,152 yards
The Vols tee off the three-round tournament on Sunday and are scheduled to compete in one round apiece on both Monday and Tuesday.
According to Golfweek’s college rankings, five of the 13 participating teams in the Puerto Rico Classic are ranked inside the top 25. The 13-team field also features four teams that competed in the 2021 NCAA Championship.
Tennessee is coming off of a fall in which it competed in just two stroke play tournaments. The Vols tied for fourth place in both the Blessings Collegiate Invitational and the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate back in October. Tennessee also competed in the SEC Match Play Championships—posting a 2-2 record in four matches at the event.
This weekend marks the second time during the Brennan Webb era that Tennessee has competed in Puerto Rico, as the Vols opened the 2020 spring season at the Puerto Rico Classic. Prior to that, Tennessee had not competed in Puerto Rico as a team since 2011.
THE VOLS’ LINEUP
Spencer Cross
Cross was a member of Tennessee’s lineup in both fall tournaments, recording a pair of top-20 finishes. The Sevierville native also owned the Vols’ highest individual finish of the fall with a fourth-place finish at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational. Cross also posted a perfect 4-0 record at the SEC Match Play Championship. The senior registered a 70.17 stroke average and carded five out of six rounds under par.
Bryce Lewis
Coming off of a sophomore campaign where he posted a 71.56 stroke average (third-best single-season mark in program history), Lewis recorded a 34th place finish at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational and a 26th-place finish at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate. Lewis also posted a 3-1 record at the SEC Match Play Championship.
Tyler Johnson
Johnson recorded two eighth-place finishes in the fall and had the lowest overall stroke average of any Vol during the fall—posting a 70.00 average in six rounds. All six of Johnson’s rounds during the fall were par or better.
Jake Hall
Hall was a member of Tennessee’s lineup at both fall tournaments, recording a pair of top-30 finishes. Competing as an individual, Hall also got a top-five finish under his belt during the fall, as he shot 3-under and finished in third place at the Pinetree Intercollegiate in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Laurent Desmarchais
This weekend marks Desmarchais’ first tournament as a member of Tennessee’s lineup. The Longueuil, Quebec, native competed in one tournament as an individual in the fall—finishing tied for 51st at the Pinetree Intercollegiate.
THE VOLS’ INDIVIDUAL
Cade Russell
The Knoxville native was not a member of Tennessee’s lineup during either of its fall tournaments, but competed twice as an individual—including a sixth-place finish at the Pinetree Intercollegiate. Along with the two tournaments he competed in as an individual, Russell was a member of Tennessee’s five-man lineup at the SEC Match Play Championship—posting a 2-2 record in his four matches.
PARTICIPATING TEAMS (13)
No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 8 Tennessee, No. 10 Ole Miss, No. 12 Georgia, No. 21 Purdue, No. 26 East Tennessee State, No. 36 Michigan State, No. 48 South Carolina, No. 69 College of Charleston, No. 83 Marquette, No. 86 Wisconsin, No. 89 Iowa , No. 175 Maryland
COURSE INFORMATION
Grand Reserve Country Club | Rio Grande, Puerto Rico | Par 72 | 7,152 yards