NAPA, Calif. (March 23, 2025) – The University of North Alabama men's golf team heads to Napa, Calif. on March 24-25 for the Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational, hosted by Central Michigan and the GCAA at Silverado Resort (North).
This is the third of four tournaments in March for UNA.
Tournament Information
Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational hosted by Central Michigan/GCAA
Silverado Resort (North)
Napa, Calif.
36 Holes on Monday, March 24
18 Holes on Tuesday, March 25
Live Stats
NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: The University of North Alabama men's golf team finalized the Seminole Intercollegiate on Tuesday, March 11 at the Glen Arven Country Club in Thomasville, Ga. where they finished third of 15 teams. The Lions tie for their best three-round team total in Division I history with an 834 score. The Lions did this in the 2024 GMAC Invitational just last fall. Junior Xing Luo finished as the only Lion inside the top-10 standing alone in seventh. His 206-overall score for the three rounds placed him fifth all-time, tying with Henry Frizell who did so in the 2023 MartinFed Invitational at Turtle Point.
THE BREAKDOWN: Central Michigan is the host school for the tournament in collaboration with the Golf Coaches Association of America. A total of 14 teams will tee off on Monday, March 24. Monday starts by way of shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. and Tuesday will see a structure of tee times. The course is a par 72 and spans 6,988 yards.
THE FIELD: A total of 14 teams will participate in this tournament. There are a number of west coast teams, as assumed, with Florida A&M as the only other southern based team joining the two-day trip. No. 61 Michigan State and No. 27 BYU represent the two Power Four programs in the field. Santa Clara joins in slotting in as the 57th ranked team in the country. Other teams include University of San Francisco, North Carolina A&T, Howard, Cal Poly, UC Davis, Texas Southern, Nihon University and Tohoku Fukushi University.
DESIGNER CONNECTIONS: Turtle Point Yacht & Country Club is located minutes away from Florence, Ala. where the Lions host their annual fall tournament each year. Its designer? Robert Trent Jones Sr. — the world-renowned course designer who has his own littering of Alabama courses was contacted to begin designing in 1961. In the mid-1960s, Robert Trent Jones Jr. helped modernize the Silverado Resort's North course. Further redesign came later on from Hall-of-Famer and former Silverado Resort owner Johnny Miller. The significance? Miller is the father of the BYU Director or Golf, Todd Miller, who is competing with North Alabama in the tournament.
MARCH'S MARCH: The Schmitz Family Head Men's Golf Coach Austin Phillips scheduled the Daytona Beach Intercollegiate as the spring semester began. This last-minute addition puts four tournaments in the month of March for the team. Now the Lions travel to Napa, Calif. for their tirdone of March. Their fourth one will be in Pawleys Island, S.C. for the Golfweek/Any Given Tuesday Invite on March 31. They are coming off of their lone rest week this past week and now will be traveling for 12 continuous days as they go from Napa, Calif. straight to Pawleys Island, S.C.
RANKED: After the prolific showing at the Seminole Intercollegiate, the Lions jumped 17 spots to land at No. 83 in the nation. According to available records, North Alabama's highest ranking in history came in the fall at No. 78. At that time, Andrew Ferworn was ranked 135th in the nation while Xing Luo was 202nd. Luo has now jumped to 138th in the nation with his two-previous top-eight finishes.
Starting Lineup:
TEAM
1. Xing Luo — Jr. — Katy, Texas
2. Sebastian Bengtsson — Jr. — Helsingborg, Sweden
3. Chase Kaiser — Sr. — Natchez, Miss.
4. Andrew Ferworn — So. — Houston, Texas
5. Blake Henriques — Jr. — Canton, Ga.
NEXT MATCH: Following the Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational, North Alabama travels to the Golfweek/Any Given Tuesday in Pawleys Island, S.C. at True Blue Golf Resort on Monday, March 31.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
