The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Amer Ari Invitational
No. 16 Men's Golf preview: Amer Ari Invitational
02.07.2024 | Men's Golf
The Longhorns compete at Mauna Lani Resort Golf Club on Thursday thru Saturday.
When: Thursday, February 8 – Saturday, February 10
Format: 18 holes each on Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Where: Mauna Lani Resort Golf Club, North Course (Kohala Coast, Hawaii)
Course Info: Par-72; 6,913 yards
Live Scoring: https://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=team&tid=28577
Tournament Notes
The Amer Ari Invitational: Texas opens its spring season by competing at the 20-team Amer Ari Invitational at the Mauna Lani Resort Golf Club (Kohala Coast, Hawaii). The field includes No. 1 Auburn, No. 2 Vanderbilt, No. 5 Washington, No. 7 Arizona State, No. 11 Florida State, No. 12 Georgia Tech, No. 16 TEXAS, No. 18 Oregon, No. 24 Texas Tech in addition to UCLA, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, San Jose State, Stanford, Pepperdine, UC Davis, Hawaii, Pacific, Osaka Gakuin (Japan) and the host school, Hawaii-Hilo. The three-round event tees off each day at 7:30 a.m. HT (11:30 a.m. CT) on the North Course.
Team Rankings: Texas is No. 16 in the most recent national rankings provided by Scoreboard powered by clippd (Feb. 7).
Last Time Out: Texas finished as runner-up at the Cypress Point Classic (Oct. 30-31) at Cypress Point Club. In the eight-team event that featured a Walker Cup/Ryder Cup type format with match play, the Longhorns earned a 2-1 win in the opening-round foursomes against Georgia Tech and followed with a 2-1 victory in the semifinals fourball over Pepperdine. In the championship match, Texas registered a 3-3 tie against Arizona State, but the Sun Devils earned the title by virtue of a tiebreaker based on most holes won.
Big 12 Match Play Champs: Texas registered a 4-1 victory over then-No. 21 Baylor in the championship match at the 2023 Big 12 Match Play Tournament at the Clubs at Houston Oaks. During the three-day event (Oct. 9-11), the Longhorns registered an overall record of 4-1 with the only setback coming in a 4-2 defeat to then-No. 19 Oklahoma in an exhibition match. Texas claimed a 5-0 victory over Cincinnati and a 3.5-1.5 win against Kansas State during the pool play rounds. The Longhorns followed with a 3.5-1.5 victory over Oklahoma State in the bracket semifinals before concluding their run with the 4-1 win against Baylor in the championship match. Nathan Petronzio and Brian Stark led the way individually during the tourney, as both posted 4-1 match-play records. Jacob Sosa also added a 3-1-1 mark during the event.
Runner-Up Finish at Olympia Fields: The Longhorns concluded the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 15-17) with a runner-up finish in the team standings after a 36-hole total of 4-under-par 556 (280-276). The final round of the tourney at Olympia Fields Country Club was canceled due to weather. No. 1 North Carolina claimed the team title with a two-round score of 10-under-par 550 (281-269). Texas finished six strokes behind UNC, while No. 4 Georgia Tech took third at 3-under-par 557 (277-280). The 15-team field featured 11 teams in the preseason Division I Coaches poll. Christiaan Maas placed third in the individual standings with a 36-hole score of 7-under-par 133 (69-64), while Jacob Sosa finished fourth at 5-under-par 135 (66-69).
The Fields Factor: Now in his 27th season as head coach at Texas, John Fields has guided the Longhorns to 21 NCAA Championship appearances in his 25 opportunities (no NCAA tourney in 2020 due to COVID-19). Under Fields' leadership, UT has posted 10 top-five finishes at the NCAA Championship, including NCAA team titles in 2012 and 2022 and runner-up showings in 2016 and 2019. Prior to his time at Texas, Fields led the University of New Mexico to nine NCAA Championship appearances in 10 seasons (1988-97). Fields has earned Golfweek's National Coach of the Year honors three times (2012, 2016 and 2022) and Big 12 Coach of the Year accolades nine times (2002, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2022) during his tenure at Texas.
16 Straight: UT's streak of 16 consecutive NCAA Championship appearances is the longest current streak in NCAA Division I men's golf. Here's a look at the longest active NCAA Championship appearances entering the 2023-24 season.
|
Number of Consecutive NCAA Championship Appearances |
School |
|
16 |
TEXAS |
|
12 |
Oklahoma |
|
9 |
Vanderbilt |
|
8 |
Arizona State |
|
6 |
North Carolina |
Advancing to Match Play: Not only has Texas been a mainstay in advancing to the NCAA Championships, the Longhorns have consistently produced strong results while at the national championship. In the last 11 opportunities (dating back to the 2012 NCAA Championships), UT has advanced to the Match Play quarterfinals stage (final eight teams) a total of SEVEN times. Texas is one of just TWO schools (Illinois) to advance to Match Play at least SEVEN times in the last 11 opportunities (2020 tourney was canceled due to COVID-19).
|
NCAA Match Play Appearances in Last 11 Tournaments (2012-23) |
School |
|
7 (2012-13-15-16-18-19-22) |
TEXAS |
|
7 (2013-14-15-16-17-21-23) |
Illinois |
|
6 (2016-17-18-19-21-22) |
Oklahoma |
|
6 (2014-17-18-19-21-22) |
Oklahoma State |
|
6 (2015-16-17-19-21-22) |
Vanderbilt |
The Texas Lineup: UT will be represented by the following six players at the Amer Ari Invitational:
- Nathan Petronzio (Sr., 74.00)
- Christiaan Maas (So., 70.63)
- Brian Stark (Gr., 72.38)
- Tommy Morrison (So., 74.50)
- Keaton Vo (So., 74.50)
Indiv) Jacob Sosa (So., 70.50)
Inside the Texas Lineup
Nathan Petronzio: No. 66 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Feb. 7) … competed in three of UT's five fall events and sports a 74.00 stroke average … posted a 4-1 individual record during the Big 12 Match Play Tournament (Oct. 9-11) … enrolled at Texas prior to the fall 2023 semester … spent his previous three seasons at SMU … earned his BS in Applied Physiology and Sport Management from SMU in Spring 2023 and is currently in the Sport Management graduate program at Texas … two-time American Athletic Conference (AAC) selection as a sophomore (2022) and junior (2023) … won two individual titles (Wake Forest Invitational and the Trinity Forest Invitational), led the team in scoring average (70.91) and competed as an individual at the NCAA Regional in 2023 … recorded four top-10 individual finishes and shot par or better in 22 of his 33 stroke-play rounds as a junior … won the AAC individual title as a sophomore in 2022 … posted a team-best 72.27 scoring average and shot par or better in 14 of his 33 rounds, including eight rounds in the 60s, as a sophomore … named the 2021 AAC Freshman of the Year … recorded a 73.24 scoring average and shot par or better in 10 of his 24 stroke-play rounds … attended Lake Travis High School (Lake Travis, Texas) and posted the lowest career scoring average (70.4) in school history … earned a runner-up finish at the 2020 Byron Nelson Junior … tied for third at the AJGA Sergio Garcia and participated in the U.S. Amateur in 2019.
Christiaan Maas: No. 12 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Feb. 7) … competed in each of UT's five fall events and ranks second on the team in scoring average (70.63) … placed third at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 15-17) with a 7-under-par 133 (69-64) ... posted a collegiate-best 18-hole score of 6-under 64 in the second round of the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 16), topping his previous mark of 6-under 66 in the opening round of last year's Southern Highlands Collegiate … competed for his home country of South Africa at the 33rd World Amateur Team Championship (Oct. 18-21) in Abu Dhabi, UAE and helped his team to a seventh-place finish in the team standings, marking the first top-10 result for South Africa since 1982 at the prestigious event … recorded a 72-hole total of 8-under-par 280 (70-70-71-69) at the WATC to tie for 17th place in the individual standings … one of 25 players named to the preseason watch list for the Fred Haskins Award … runner-up at the 2023 Western Amateur Championship … one of 12 men's players who competed for the International Team at the prestigious 2023 Arnold Palmer Cup in early June at Laurel Valley Golf Club outside Ligonier, Pa. … earned Division I PING second-team All-America and PING All-Central Region team honors as a freshman in 2023 … named the Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Year and was selected to the 10-person All-Big 12 Team … competed in each of UT's 14 events as a freshman and led the team in stroke average (70.57) … during his 12 stroke-play tourney appearances last season, he registered five top-10 and 10 top-20 individual finishes … shot par or better in 23 of his 35 stroke-play rounds last year, including 12 rounds in the 60s ... earned a collegiate-best individual runner-up finish last year at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) with a 10-under-par 206 (66-69-71) … posted a 2&1 win over Christo Lamprecht in last year's match-play event against Georgia Tech (Feb. 10) … tied for 17th at last winter's DP World Tour's Alfred Dunhill Championship (Dec. 8-11) in Melalane, South Africa with a 9-under-par 279 (71-70-70-68) … played alongside Ernie Els in the opening two rounds at the Alfred Dunhill Championship … also made the cut and tied for 35th at last year's DP World Tour's Investec South African Open Championship (Dec. 1-4) in Johannesburg at 5-under-par 283 (69-65-72-77) … competed for South Africa in the prestigious 2022 World Amateur Team Championship (Aug. 31-Sept. 3) in Paris … advanced to Match Play at the 2022 U.S. Amateur … tied for 11th in stroke play at the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur … claimed a five-shot victory with a 14-under 270 (65-70-67-68) to win the prestigious Brabazon Trophy at Saunton Golf Club in England in May 2022 … posted six wins during the 2021 season, including the Cape Province Open and the South African Amateur Championship … 2020 and 2021 Silver Salver Champion.
Brian Stark: No. 37 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Feb. 7) … competed in each of UT's five fall events and sports a 72.38 stroke average … posted a 4-1 individual record during the Big 12 Match Play Tournament (Oct. 9-11) … tied for 14th at the season-opening Sahalee Players Championship (Sept. 9-10) with a 4-over-par 220 (71-7-75) … tied for fourth at the 2023 Northeast Amateur Invitational (Rumford, R.I.) in June with a 72-hole score of 7-under-par 269 (65-70-66-68) … enrolled at Texas prior to the 2023 spring semester … graduate transfer who spent his previous three seasons at Oklahoma State … earned his BBA in Sports Management from Oklahoma State in Fall 2022 and is currently in the Sport Management graduate program at Texas … earned All-Big 12 and PING All-Central Region team accolades last year … competed in all of UT's nine events last spring and ranked second on the team in scoring average (71.04) … during his eight stroke-play tourney appearances last year, he registered two top-five and three top-10 individual finishes … shot par or better in 14 of his 25 stroke-play rounds in last spring, including 10 rounds in the 60s … recorded his best finish as a Longhorn with a third-place showing at the Big 12 Championship (April 24-26) at 6-under-par 274 (69-72-67-66) … claimed a spot on the Big 12 Championship All-Tournament team ... tied for fourth at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational (Mar. 27-28) at 9-under-par 204 (68-71-65) … his 6-under 65 in the final round at the Valspar Collegiate marked his low 18-hole score at Texas … tied for eighth at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 1-2) at 6-under-par 210 (71-70-69) … earned third-team All-America honors as a junior at Oklahoma State in 2022 from both the GCAA and Golfweek … two-time GCAA All-America Scholar (as a sophomore and junior) … claimed All-Big 12 and Academic All-Big 12 honors as a junior … tied for 15th at the 2022 NCAA Championship at 6-over-par 286 … had a season-best tie for third place at The Carmel Cup at 5-under-par 211 (73-70-68) in 2022 … also placed 13th at the Big 12 Championship and tied for seventh at the NCAA Columbus Regional during his junior year at Oklahoma State … first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection as a sophomore in 2021 … advanced to the quarterfinals of match play at the 2021 U.S. Amateur.
Tommy Morrison: No. 95 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Feb. 7) … competed in each of UT's five fall events and sports a 74.50 stroke average … claimed medalist honors and advanced to the quarterfinals in match play at the 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur in July … won the 36-hole stroke play competition at the U.S. Junior Amateur with an 8-under-par 135 (66-69) … narrowly missed qualifying for match play at the 2023 Western Amateur with a 72-hole score of 5-under-par 279 (68-72-69-70), but stayed in Chicago as served as caddy for teammate Christiaan Maas during the match play portion of the event … advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2023 British Amateur Championship in June at Hillside and Southport & Ainsdale courses in England … enrolled at Texas prior the 2023 spring semester … competed in seven of UT's nine events in the spring of 2023 and ranked third on the team in scoring average (71.50) … shot par or better in 11 of his 18 stroke-play rounds last spring, including a pair of rounds in the 60s … carded a collegiate-best tie for eighth place at the NCAA Bath Regional (May 15-17) with a 5-under-par 208 (68-70-70) … his opening-round score of 3-under 68 at the NCAA Bath Regional (May 15) marked his collegiate-low 18-hole score … tied for ninth at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) with a 7-under-par 209 (70-70-69) while competing as an individual … made his collegiate debut in the match against Georgia Tech (Feb. 10) and earned a 2&1 victory over Ben Reuter … posted a runner-up showing in the 2022 North & South Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 … finished fourth in the inaugural Elite Amateur Cup in 2022 after competing in six of the seven championships (Elite Amateur Cup includes the Sunnehanna Amateur, Northeast Amateur, Trans-Miss Amateur, Southern Amateur, Pacific Coast Amateur, North & South Amateur and the Western Amateur) … paired with former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and earned a qualifying spot for the 2023 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship … placed fourth at the 2022 Junior Orange Bowl International … tied for sixth at the 2021 Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship … won the 2020 Southern Junior championship.
Keaton Vo: No. 146 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Feb. 7) … competed in three of UT's five fall events and sports a 74.50 stroke average … advanced to the Round of 32 in match play at the prestigious North & South Amateur in June (Pinehurst, N.C.) … competed in 13 of UT's 14 events as a freshman and registered a 72.55 stroke average … shot par or better in 11 of his 31 stroke-play rounds last year, including four rounds in the 60s ... earned a collegiate-best second-place individual finish at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) at 8-under-par 208 (67-71-70) … tallied a career-low 18-hole score of 5-under-par 67 in the opening round of the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30) … carded a 3-under 68 in the opening round of the NCAA Bath Regional (May 15) that included a hole-in-one on the fifth hole (6-iron at 202 yards) … tied for fourth in the stroke-play portion of the East Lake Cup (Oct. 24) with a 2-under-par 70 … tied for 19th at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) with a 3-under-par 213 (74-70-69) … posted a 4-0-1 individual record at the 2022 Big 12 Match Play Championship (Oct. 17-19) … medalist at the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur with a 36-hole score of 9-under-par 134 (69-65) … 2022 Texas Class 5A state individual champion and led Anderson High School to the team championship … tabbed the No. 1 recruit in the state of Texas and No. 7 nationally by the AJGA in the class of 2022 … four-time Rolex Junior All-American … two-time Wyndham Cup participant (2020 and 2022) … won the individual title at the 2020 George Hannon Junior Invitational at UT Golf Club … three-time AJGA Champion, capturing the 2019 AJGA Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee, the 2019 AJGA Junior All-Star at Wigwam and the 2018 AJGA Preview at The Republic … registered seven top-10 finishes on the AJGA Tour, including a tie for second at the 2021 Jackie Burke Invitational.
Jacob Sosa: No. 109 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Feb. 7) … competed in each of UT's five fall events and leads the team in scoring average (70.50) … placed fourth at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 15-17) with a 5-under-par 135 (66-69) … posted a 3-1-1 individual record during the Big 12 Match Play Tournament (Oct. 9-11) … paced the Longhorns in the season-opening Sahalee Players Championship (Sept. 9-10) with a tie for seventh at 2-over-par 218 (75-69-74) … competed in 10 of UT's 14 events as a freshman and ranked fourth on the team in scoring average (72.28) … in his eight stroke-play tourney appearances last year, he registered three top-20 individual finishes … shot par or better in 10 of his 25 stroke-play rounds in 2023, including four rounds in the 60s ... earned a collegiate-best third-place individual finish at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) at 7-under-par 209 (61-74-74) … set a UT program record for low 18-hole score with an 11-under-par 61 in the opening round of the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30) … had three eagles, five birdies and no bogeys during that round … tied for 16th at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 1-2) at 3-under-par 213 (72-72-69) … posted a 1-up victory over Connor Howe in the match-play event against Georgia Tech (Feb. 10) … tied for 19th at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) with a 3-under-par 213 (71-70-72) … led Austin Westlake High School to three consecutive Texas Class 6A state team titles (no tourney in 2020 due to COVID) … posted individual finishes of third, runner-up and tied for fifth during his three state championship tournaments … tabbed the No. 3 recruit in the state of Texas and No. 14 nationally by the AJGA in the class of 2022 … first-team Rolex Junior All-American in 2021 … member of the West Team at the 2021 Wyndham Cup … placed third at the 2020 Texas State Amateur and earned the win at the 2019 Texas State Junior Championship.
Players Mentioned
