The sixth annual AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic hosted by Georgia State will get underway Sunday at Berkeley Hills Country Club in Duluth, Ga. The 54-hole event will bring together some of the top teams in the southeast at one of the premier courses in metro Atlanta.
Atlanta-based AutoTrader.com, created in 1997, lent its name to the tournament from day one. AutoTrader.com is the Internet’s ultimate automotive marketplace and consumer information website. Together with their leadership, Georgia State will welcome 13 additional teams and a total of 84 players to Berkeley Hills beginning Sunday.
Following a practice round on Sunday morning and a College-Am benefiting the tournament in the afternoon, teams will play 36 holes on Monday followed by the final 18 holes on Tuesday. The format will be an 8:30 a.m. shotgun on Monday, with tee times starting at 8 a.m. off the first and tenth tees on Tuesday. The event is free and open to the public.
“We are looking forward to another great tournament at Berkeley Hills this year,” head coach Joe Inman said. “We have been so fortunate to have AutoTrader as a partner with us since the inception of this tournament. We could not put on such a successful event without their support and the great support of all our sponsors.”
The field will include 10 teams ranked in the top 105 in the latest Golfweek rankings, along with four individuals ranked in the top 110.
The group of 13 teams includes host Georgia State, Chattanooga, Francis Marion, Georgia Southern, Lipscomb, Middle Tennessee, UNC Greensboro, Ole Miss, South Florida, Richmond, Troy, Winthrop, Yale and individuals from Kennesaw State.
Last year, Lipscomb swept both team and individual honors in record fashion. The Bison finished the 54-hole event at 25-under, while Dawson Armstrong, currently ranked No. 109 in the country, earned low medalist honors following rounds of 65, 67 and 68.
Georgia State opened the 2016-17 season in record form, shooting an 18-under 270 in the first round of the year at The Invitational at The Ocean Course to establish a new school record. The Panthers enter the week ranked No. 104 in the country, but have played just two of 10 regular season events.
This will mark the third of five tournaments this fall for the Panthers. The line-up will include senior Nathan Mallonee, juniors Alex Herrmann and Max Herrmann, along with sophomore Nick Budd and freshman Egill Gunnarsson. Sophomore Nathan Williams and freshman Josh Edgar will compete as individuals.
Live scoring of the entire tournament will be available at Golfstat.com.
Following this week’s event, Georgia State will return to the course for the UNCG Bridgestone Collegiate Oct. 23-24, at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C.
