GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum College will host 18 collegiate men's golf teams at the 20th annual Tusculum Invitational this weekend at Link Hills Country Club.

The first round begins at 8 a.m. Saturday morning, followed by Sunday's final round which is slated to tee off at 8 a.m. on the par 71, 6,733-yard lay-out.

The Pioneers are the two-time defending champions and have won this event six times overall (1995, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2011, 2012). Tusculum has recorded one tournament title this season capturing the Walters State Invitational last fall.

This year's tournament field will include fellow South Atlantic Conference members: Anderson University, Carson-Newman University, Lincoln Memorial University and Mars Hill College. NCAA Division II teams also competing in this year's tournament include: Bluefield State College, Limestone College and Tiffin University. Other participants include: Marian University (Ind.), Milligan College, Parkland College, USC Lancaster, Spartanburg Methodist College, Tennessee Wesleyan College, Virginia Intermont College and Walters State College.

Walters State won the inaugural Tusculum Invitational in 1994, while Carson-Newman captured the team championship in 1996 and again in 2000.

Four of the teams in this year's tournament field are ranked in the top 50 in the latest Golfstat head-to-head standings, including No. 25 Marian (NAIA), No. 30 Lincoln Memorial (NCAA II), No. 33 Carson-Newman (NCAA II) and No. 40 Milligan (NAIA).

Three of the last seven TC Invitational medalists have come from Tusculum including Nick Kinzer (2006), Darren Christie (2007) and Chris Wynne (2008). In all, six Pioneers have captured the individual title at this event. Lincoln Memorial senior Jamie Chapman is looking to become the first player in tournament history to win two TC Invitational titles in a career (won the 2011 event).

Admission to the 36-hole tournament is free and open to the public.

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