The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Puerto Rico Classic
No. 10 Men’s Golf Opens Spring Season at Puerto Rico Classic
2/12/2022 | Men's Golf
Three-Day Tournament in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico to Run Feb. 13-15
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico – The No. 10 Ole Miss men's golf team will officially open their spring season on Sunday, with the team taking part in the opening round of the Puerto Rico Classic in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament will take place at the Grand Reserve Country Club February 13-15, featuring 13 total teams. The top individual medalist of the Puerto Rico Classic will receive an invitation to take part in the like-named PGA Tour event, on March 3-6.
Tournament Schedule
Sunday, Feb. 13 – 18 holes (Rebels tee at 6:30 a.m. CT)
Monday, Feb. 14 – 18 holes
Tuesday, Feb. 15 – 18 holes
The Lineup
Jackson Suber (Sr.) - Teeing off at 6:30 a.m. CT on Hole 4
-- Posted a team-high stroke average of 69.17 in the fall season
-- Ranked as No. 1 golfer in the nation by Golfstat entering the spring season
-- Named to the 2022 Ben Hogan Award Watch List
-- Captured third career individual tournament victory at the White Sands Bahamas with a 205 (-11)
-- Also ranked No. 4 and No. 7 in the nation in the Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings and the PGA TOUR University Velocity Global Rankings
-- Named 2020-21 PING All-American Honorable Mention, becoming the 11th All-American in school history
Kye Meeks (R-Fr.) - Teeing off at 6:30 a.m. CT on Hole 5
-- Tallied stroke average of 73.67 over the fall
-- Made collegiate debut for the Rebels at the Blessings Collegiate, where he also recorded his first collegiate birdie on Hole 15
-- Finished the SEC Match Play Championship with a 3-1 record individually, including a victory over then-No. 11 ranked Tyler Johnson of Tennessee
-- Ranked as the No. 1 recruit coming out of the state of Mississippi in 2020
-- Two-time individual state champion in high school
Brett Schell (So.) - Teeing off at 6:30 a.m. CT on Hole 5
-- Had second-highest stroke average of the fall season for the Rebels (71.00)
-- Enters the spring season ranked No. 42 in the NCAA by Golfstat
-- Earned first collegiate top 20 finish at Blessings Collegiate Invitational (T-12th)
-- Capped off the fall season with his first ever top 10 finish at the White Sands Bahamas (T-7th)
-- Also logged a new career-low 54-hole score of 212 (-4) in the Bahamas
Jack Gnam (Sr.) - Teeing off at 6:30 a.m. CT on Hole 6
-- Ended the fall season with a 72.33 stroke average
-- Competed at the 2021 Willow Cup Amateur, where he finished 2nd overall following a two-day score of 136 (-8)
-- Shot a team-low round of 67 (-5) in the final round of the White Sands Bahamas
-- Had his best finish of 2020-21 campaign at the Vanderbilt Legends Collegiate, where he finished tied for 11th with a career-low 54-hole total (65-70-70–205)
-- Appearing in his 26th tournament as a Rebel
Sarut Vongchaisit (Sr.) - Teeing off at 6:30 a.m. CT on Hole 7
-- Posted stroke average of 74.00 over the team's fall season
-- Finished with a perfect 4-0 record individually at the SEC Match Play Championship
-- Opened fall season recording a 222 (+6) three-day score to finish tied for 27th individually at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational
-- Recorded seven birdies in the team's season-opening tournament in Arkansas
-- Tied for 21st at the Asia-Pacific Amateur in Dubai, finishing four-under on the week
INDIVIDUAL
Ludvig Eriksson (R-Fr.) - Teeing off at 6:30 a.m. CT on Hole 18
-- Making collegiate debut for the Rebels
-- Ranked top 10 of his age group in Sweden for three years, including a No. 1 ranking in 2017
-- Represented his country of Sweden on the U18 national team for three years
-- Named the 2020 male athlete of the year at the Celsius National School of Golf (Celsiusskolan)
-- Won the 2019 Cobra-Puma Junior Masters Invitational
The Field
Charleston
East Tennessee State
No. 12 Georgia
Iowa
Marquette
Maryland
Michigan State
No. 1 Oklahoma
No. 10 Ole Miss
No. 21 Purdue
South Carolina
No. 8 Tennessee
Wisconsin
The Course
Designed by PGA Tour professional, Tom Kite, the Grand Reserve Golf Club is a unique 18-hole course that brings a dynamic golfing experience like no other. Playing at 7,152 yards as a par 72, the course features seashore paspalum grass, white silica sand bunkers and challenging water hazards for truly world-class play. Found right on the shore of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, the Grand Reserve Golf Club plays home to the PGA Tour's annual Puerto Rico Open.
Thoughts From Coach Malloy
"We are excited to get our spring season started. It's always a special opportunity when it's your first event of the spring, but to do it on a course like this competing against a field of this caliber, it makes it that much more special. The course will be a challenge as it has shown when they host their PGA Tour event. We will see where we are as a team right out of the gate. I really look forward to seeing our guys compete this week."
Suber Ranked No. 1 in the Nation by Golfstat
For just the second time in program history, a member of the Ole Miss golf team found themselves atop the national polls as the No. 1 golfer in the country. Jackson Suber, who is coming off of a fall season where he posted a 69.17 stroke average while earning his third collegiate tournament victory at the White Sands Bahamas, was ranked No. 1 in the NCAA by Golfstat on Wednesday. Suber is now just the second Rebel to accomplish such a feat, with 2017 NCAA National Champion Braden Thornberry being the only other Ole Miss golfer to do so.
Ole Miss Remain in Golfstat Top 10
The Rebels will open their spring schedule inside the top 10 of Golfstat's NCAA Team Rankings, slotting into the No. 10 spot following a strong fall season that included a win at the White Sands Bahamas Invitational, the team's first tournament victory since 2018. Ole Miss is one of just three SEC teams to find themselves in the top 10, while being one of eight to crack the top 25.
Rebels in the Rankings
Besides Jackson Suber sitting at the very top of the Golfstat Individual Player Rankings, sophomore Brett Schell also found himself earning a top 50 ranking heading into the spring season. Following a fall season where Schell tallied a stroke average of 71.00 while earning a pair of top 20 finishes individually, Schell now sits ranked No. 42 in the NCAA by Golfstat. This marks the first time in Schell's career that he has earned a top 50 ranking.
Suber Climbs PGA TOUR University Leaderboard
Jackson Suber has officially moved up to the No. 7 position in the latest PGA TOUR University Velocity Global Rankings, following impressive performances both for the Rebels and as an amateur. At the conclusion of the season, the top five finishers in the Velocity Global Rankings will earn membership on the Korn Ferry Tour. Players finishing sixth through 15th will earn membership on a PGA TOUR international tour.
Rebels Thrive in Amateur Tournaments
Four Rebels found success on the amateur tournament scene during the team's winter break, with Jack Gnam, Brett Schell, Jackson Suber and Sarut Vongchaisit all putting together solid performances at their respective events. Gnam earned a second-place finish at the 2021 Willow Cup Amateur after shooting a two-day score of 136 (-8), while Schell secured a share of fourth place at the 2022 New Year's Invitational with a four-round score of 282 (-6). Suber, who once again took part in the prestigious 2022 Jones Cup, earned a top 20 finish in Georgia. Vongchaisit rounded out the amateur tournament success for the Rebels by finishing tied for 21st at the Asia-Pacific Amateur in Dubai, finishing four-under on the week
Next on Tee
The Rebels will stay international for the team's next spring tournament, as Ole Miss will pack their bags to head to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for the Cabo Collegiate February 27-March 1. Following the team's trip to Cabo, they will return to the states for the Louisiana Classic in Lafayette, Louisiana on March 14-15.
Follow the Rebels
For updates throughout the tournament, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMGolf. Additional updates and information on the team can be found on Instagram at OleMissMGolf, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men's Golf and on OleMissSports.com.
Players Mentioned
