EAST LANSING— Michigan State men’s golf is headed to Bluffton, South Carolina to compete in the Colleton River Collegiate from March 2-3.
MSU will be competing again at the Colleton Golf Club, a stunning course located in the heart of Bluffton, a historic city with landmarks dating back to the American Civil War.
Although the Spartans will be making a trek across the nation, MSU hosts this event as an annual charity event.
In 2024, over $25,000 was raised for the Colleton River Charitable Fund, which was then distributed to various non-profit organizations throughout South Carolina. This year, the fund is moving to a grant application process to ensure the most pressing issues get the support they need.
The 36-hole course was a collaboration project between Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus, who are designers that have helped create many illustrious courses throughout the world. The field will be navigating the Pete Dye course this week, a challenging par 72 that plays at 7,180 yards.
At the collegiate level, any hole considered above average in the distance for the par will be challenging for the field, and this event is no different. Every year, as sure as death and taxes, holes No. 9 and No. 14 have kept players up at night, with the scoring average for most teams being above par.
Hole No. 9 is a 467-yard par-4 that forces players to hit over a marsh while facing strong coastal winds, testing a player’s decision-making and skill. Hole No. 14 is a 217-yard par-3 littered with water and bunker hazards, which will put the players’ accuracy from long-range to the test.
Success on these holes is directly correlated to success in the tournament, so teams should look to attack them with confidence this year.
Although this event will be for charity, the field competition will be brutal for the Spartans.
Top-rated programs such as No. 10 Georgia, No. 13 Virginia, No. 19 Tennessee and No. 23 Kansas will look to hold their top 25 ranks. They will also be joined by Iowa, Rutgers, Wisconsin, and MSU, who are looking to be ranked for the first time this year. A top five finish in this event is critical for teams to establish themselves early in the spring season.
Last year, Georgia Southern finished on top with an impressive score of –32. The Eagles gained the lead on the first day and never lost it.
It was a dominating performance led by standout golfer Ben Carr, who is on the Korn Ferry Tour this year and just played in his first PGA event. The Eagles managed to come out on top despite a strong surge on day three from Chattanooga, who ended just shy with a score of -30.
The Spartans played well last year, tying for 5th in the 14-team field with a score of –19. Despite not being the favorite, MSU is a dark horse in this event, looking to shock collegiate golf fans nationwide.
Senior stars Ashton McCulloch and Satchel Pierce must continue their consistent success from previous events to give the team a strong foundation. They will look to underclassmen Lucas Acevedo and Lorenzo Pinili to have breakout performances to give the team the boost they need to win it all.
The Spartans will tee off alongside Rutgers and Tennessee in Sunday’s opening round, with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Follow the action at Golfstat.com for real-time leaderboard and player updates.
