Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Amer Ari Invitational
GOLF PREVIEW: Amer Ari Invitational (Hawaii)
February 05, 2019 | Men's Golf
The Red Raiders, who are currently No. 29 in the GolfStat rankings, were the 2017 Amer Ari Invitational champion and finished as the tournament's runner-up last season. The tournament is scheduled to begin on Thursday morning with an 11:30 a.m. (CST) shotgun start in Hawaii with an 18-team field. Tech will be represented by Sandy Scott, Ivan Ramirez, Adam Blomme, Kyle Hogan and Jansen Smith while Thomas Allkins will play as an individual at the event. Texas Tech is led by Greg Sands who has coached the program to 17 straight NCAA Regionals and to 19 tournament victories since 2001. The Red Raiders are coming off a historic season where they finished third at the NCAA Championships for the best showing in program history.
A senior from Sweden, Blomme finished fifth at last season's Amer Ari Invitational after shooting 10-under-par (68-68-70 – 206), while Scott shot 72-70-68 – 210 for a top-25 showing. Blomme and Scott return represented the Red Raiders in the tournament, while Ramirez and Hogan both played as individuals last season in Hawaii. Ramirez shot 76-72-69 – 217 for 51st.
Oklahoma State is the defending Amer Ari Invitational champion after shooting a three-round total of 817, while the Red Raiders were second at 834. Texas Tech and No. 1 OSU will be joined by No. 16 Auburn, Colorado, No. 2 Georgia Tech, Hawaii, Hawaii-Hilo, Oregon, Oregon State, Oasaka Gakuin (Japan), Pacific, San Jose State, No. 31 Stanford, TCU, No. 14 Texas, UC Davis, No. 8 USC and Utah at the tournament.
Fredrik Nilehn won the 2017 individual Amer Ari Invitational championship in his junior season for the Red Raiders in a playoff. Justin Suh won last year's individual title and is back to defend his championship for USC.
The Red Raiders competed in four fall tournaments, including finishing second at The Showdown in the Rockies and taking fourth at the Tavistock Collegiate Invitational. At the Tavistock event in Florida, Scott and Ramirez closed out the fall schedule with 10th-place showings while Blomme was 16th. Scott also finished fourth at the Showdown in the Rockies in mid-September with Hogan taking seventh at the event.
Texas Tech is scheduled to play six spring tournaments leading into the Big 12 Championship on April 26-28 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The Red Raiders will return to competition after Hawaii at the Desert Classic on Feb. 22-24 in Palm Springs, California before traveling to Las Vegas to play in the Southern Highlands Masters (March 3-5).
Live results for this week's tournament in Hawaii will be available at GolfStat.com.
We're only a week from the start of the spring season! Hear from coach @Sandsman14 on expectations for the year and our season-opening tournament in Hawaii. #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/qWcvlEFXhY
— Texas Tech Men's Golf (@TexasTechMGolf) January 31, 2019
#TexasTech freshman Jansen Smith previews the Red Raider spring season that begins on Feb. 7 in Kona, Hawaii. #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/7YxZjw9Bjs
— Texas Tech Men's Golf (@TexasTechMGolf) January 30, 2019
#TexasTech sophomore Thomas Allkins previews the spring season that begins on Feb. 7 in Kona, Hawaii for the Red Raiders. #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/kdQ7OMLIBD
— Texas Tech Men's Golf (@TexasTechMGolf) January 27, 2019
#TexasTech sophomore Kyle Hogan talks about the spring season that begins on Feb. 7 in Kona, Hawaii. #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/5sO2ktoLqu
— Texas Tech Men's Golf (@TexasTechMGolf) January 25, 2019
We're only two weeks away from the start of our spring season that begins on Feb. 7 at the Amer Ari Invitational in Kona, Hawaii!
— Texas Tech Men's Golf (@TexasTechMGolf) January 24, 2019
???@sahnscott #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/3V65jxUNuk
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