The Lyons Links College Invitational
Hosted By Wake Forest University at Royal Dublin Golf Club September 18-20, 2024
We are delighted to annouce the staging of the first ever Colleges Invitational in Dublin Ireland. With Wake Forest as the official hosts at one of Ireland's most historic Championship Links, it promises to be a specatacular event. The event is a team of five but we will are also facilitating colleges to bring additional players to compete individually.
While colleges can just enter the "colleges event", we are delighted to announce that Lyons Links are also hosting a donors event to coincide with the event. The itinerary for both events can be viewed at the relevant links below
Confirmed Teams
Wake Forest
Tournament hosts, Wake Forest, boasts "The King", the late great, Mr Arnold Palmers as it's most famous Alumni and benefactor. Coaches Haas and O'Callaghan have made the pilgrimage to Ireland with college Alumni on several occassions with Lyons Links and are keen to give students the opportunity to come and compete on the great traditional old links that is Royal Dublin. A power house in Collegiate Golf for many decades, the Wake Forest teams are sure to have a say in the outcome of this tournamnet
University of Southern California
USC has one of the most successful golf programs in the United States, having produced 4 NCAA individual champions (Scott Simpson in 1976 and 1977, Ron Commans in 1981 and Jamie Lovemark in 2007), 23 Pac-12 individual champs, 25 All-American first teamers and numerous players who have had successful professional careers, including $1 million-plus winners like Al “Mr. 59” Geiberger, Dave Stockton, Craig Stadler and Simpson. Troy has also been dominant in the Pac-12, winning 20 conference championships.
George Mason University
Under the guidance of head coach Greg Pieczynski, George Mason are a team on the up. The team had a very solid 2022 fall season which had plenty of optimism and momentum from a historic 2021-22 season including a 3rd place Atlantic 10 Conference finish, the best in Mason history! This fall we had eight of our nine players start in a tournament which indicates some depth. We played three consecutive events starting Labor Day weekend hosted by the SEC’s Missouri Tigers. No doubt a team to watch out for in Royal Dublin in September 2024.
Cal Poly
Guided by Coach Phil Rowe, an Englishman with lots of "links" knowledge to supplement his teaching skills, expect Cal Poly to be in the mix. A Third place finish in the Big West Conference in 2023 with Baron Szeto tied for low individual at NCAA regionals shows some strong form. Jackson Parrish was the star performer for 2023 and was named on the Big West's Conference team. Indeed Parrish and Joey Zambri are to compete in the 123rd US Amateur at Cherry Hills August 14-20, 2023.
Elon
Don Hill enters his 11th season at the helm of the Elon men's golf program in 2023-24. He served as Committee Chair of the Ben Hogan Award for 2021-22 and is the Committee Chairperson for the All-America Committee for 2022-23. He was previously on the East All-Region Committee from 2017-19 and has been the East Region Chairperson since 2020. Under Don's guidance Elon continue to produce exception golfers and indeed leaders. Elon was runner up at The CAA Championship 2023 in the team standings and combined for a six-under par. Matthew Doyles was named to the All-CAA First Team and Garrett Risner to the All-CAA Second Team on May 11.
National University of Ireland Maynooth
Under the watchful eye of Program Director, Barry Fennelly, the NUIM is without doubt the power house of Irish College Golf and Arguable European collegiate golf. The college has produced Dp World Tour players and routinely developed students into Walker and Palmer Cup players. The last time they competed with the American Colleges on home soild at Waterville, Amateur Champion James Sugrue took home the spoils i the individual event. There is little doubt they will be a force to be reckoned with.
University of Stirling
Stirling is the leading golf programme in the UK and has a long and distinguished history of supporting players to achieve at the highest levels of the game. Led by former European Tour winning professional, Dean Robertson, they have produced 12 Tour players, 10 Arnold Palmer Cup players, 9 Curtis Cup players, 5 British Amateur Champions and 4 Walker Cup players to date. Their programme provides a twin track approach that has enabled cohorts of international golf talent to successfully combine both academic and golfing excellence.