GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum will host 14 collegiate men's golf teams the 24th annual Tusculum Invitational this weekend at Link Hills Country Club.
The first round begins at 9 a.m. Saturday morning, followed by Sunday's final round, which is also slated to start at 9 a.m. on the par-71, 6733-yard layout.
This year's tournament will hold special meaning as it will be the final men's home tournament for Tusculum head coach Bob Dibble, who will be retiring in May after 28 years at the helm of the TC program.
The Pioneers are the two-time defending champions as TC led wire-to-wire to claim its eighth overall title and fourth in the last six years. Tusculum has won their home spring tournament in 1995, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016.
This year's tournament field will including fellow South Atlantic Conference members Brevard, Catawba, Lincoln Memorial and Mars Hill. NCAA Division II teams also competing in this year's tournament field include: Bluefield State and UVa-Wise. Other participants include: Cape Fear, Emory & Henry, Northwestern Ohio, Spartanburg Methodist, Tennessee Wesleyan, Union (Ky.) and Walters State.
Lincoln Memorial has won this event on two occasions (2013, 2014), while Walters State won the inaugural Tusculum Invitational in 1994.
Seven teams in this year's tournament field are ranked in the top-50 in the latest Golfstat head-to-head standings, including No. 8 Northwestern Ohio (NAIA), No. 11 Walters State (NJCAA-II), No. 19 Lincoln Memorial (NCAA II), No. 20 Spartanburg Methodist (NJCAA-I), No. 26 Cape Fear (NJCAA-I), No. 41 Tennessee Wesleyan (NAIA) and No. 48 Union (NAIA).
Senior Taylor Smith leads the Pioneers with his 73.31 scoring average, which includes three finishes in the top-10 as well as three top-5 performances. The Gray, Tennessee product earned medalist honors at the Etowah Intercollegiate in the fall where he posted a four-under par score of 70-70=140. That tournament began a string of six consecutive rounds under par which are tied for the ninth most in a TC single-season.
He finished fourth at the Tusculum Fall Classic in September with a two-under par total of 70-70=140. He tied for sixth place honors at the State Farm Intercollegiate with his 54-hole tally of 71-70-73=214 (-2).
Smith has a 75.42 career stroke average, which is currently the ninth lowest in program history. His 13 career rounds under par are presently sixth in the TC record book. His best finish at the TC Invitational was two years ago when he placed sixth.
Senior Cameron Dugger is second on the team this season with his 74.38 scoring average. The Hampton, Tennessee native has finished in the top-10 on three occasions this year, including a pair of runner-up finishes at the Etowan Intercollegiate (69-73=142, -2) and Tusculum Fall Classic (68-71=139, -3). He also logged a 10th place showing at the Walters State Fall Classic (74-82=156).
Hinsdale, Illinois junior David Whinery is third on the team this year with his 76.18 stroke average. Whinery has finished in the top-20 twice, including his fifth-place performance at the Etowah Intercollegiate in his TC debut. He carded an even par total 71-73=144 at Etowah and tied for 14th place at the Tusculum Fall Classic with 144, including a season-low 69 (-2) in the final round.
Senior Chris Hutson has two top-20 finishes to his credit including his 12th place showing at Etowah. Hutson was TC's top finisher at the Richard Rendleman Invitational last month as he fired 76-73=149 to tie for 23rd place. Hutson is fourth on the team with his 76.92 average and will look to match or improve on last year's performance at the TC Invitational where he tied for fifth place with his 143 total, including an opening round 68 (-3). Hutson's 76.70 career stroke average is 17th in the Tusculum record book.
Freshman Anthony Bolden (Mokena, Ill.) has recorded a 77.18 average in his rookie campaign which includes two top-15 finishes. He placed sixth at the Walters State Fall Classic and tied for 14th at the Tusculum Fall Classic where he carded a season-low 71-73=144 (+2).
Senior Preston Tucker (Knoxville, Tenn.) has a 78.18 scoring average this year and tied for 14th place at the Tusculum Fall Classic. At last year's TC Invitational, he finished 23rd.
Also competing at this weekend's event for the Pioneers are Hunter Chandley (Johnson City, Tenn.), Austin Murdock (Old Fort, N.C.) and Dylan Scalf (Cincinnati, Ohio).
Admission to the 36-hole tournament is free and open to the public.
