Alabama Set to Compete at the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men's golf team is back in action this weekend at the 15^th annual Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational. Competing in its second tournament in as many weekends to open the season, the Crimson Tide will tee off the three-day, 54-hole tournament Friday morning.

This year's OFCC Invite will take place this weekend, Friday through Sunday, at the famed Olympia Fields Country Club North Course, a par-70, 7,205-yard track that has hosted two U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships, five Western Opens and a U.S. Senior Open, among other high-level tournaments.

The Lineup

Alabama will go with the same starting five as last weekend's season opener
Thomas Ponder, who opened the season by collecting three consecutive rounds in the 60s to at the Maui Jim Invitational, will lead the way after earning a top-20 finish in the Tide's first tournament
Canon Claycomb also set a career-best number with his final round of 64 on Sunday and will hope to ride that momentum this weekend
Tyler Lipscomb, who also set a career-best 54-hole score last week, JP Cave and Jack Goldasich round out the Crimson Tide's starting lineup

Tournament Preview

Now in its 15th season, the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational welcomes the nation's top teams to the famed Olympia Fields Country Club
The 15-team field, led by defending national champion and top-ranked Pepperdine, features 13 teams ranked or receiving votes highlighted by all the top-five teams in the nation (Pepperdine, No. 2 Oklahoma State, No. 3 Arizona State, No. 4 North Carolina and No. 5 Texas)
Other ranked teams include: No. 10 Illinois No. 12 Florida State. No. 15 Stanford, No.17 Florida, No. 22 Arizona, No. 31 Baylor and No. 37 Alabama
Purdue, Indiana and California round out the 15-team field
The club is home to several premier events including two U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships, a U.S. Amateur and U.S. Senior Open, among other high-level tournaments
The club is also hosted the 2020 BMW Championship

Last Time Out

Alabama fired a 6-under par 274 on the final day of the Maui Jim Intercollegiate last weekend on its way to a 54-hole team total of 6-under 834 (287-273-274)
After opening the event with a 7-over par 287 on the par 70, 7,115-yard Mirabel Golf Course, the Crimson Tide finished strong by shooting 13-under par over the final 36 holes and tied for 10^th overall

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