Lipscomb, Alejandro Rodriguez deliver in opener at J.T. Poston Invitational
Alejandro Rodriguez (Lipscomb Athletics Photo)
The Western Carolina J.T. Poston Invitational was played at the recently renovated Donald Ross-designed Waynesville Inn and Golf Club in Waynesville, North Carolina. The tournament pays homage to its namesake, PGA TOUR player and WCU alum J.T. "The Postman" Poston, and offers some of the most unique hardware in college golf. In reference to both his nickname and his ability to deliver in clutch moments, Poston inspired the event’s distinctive trophies: purple championship mailboxes.
This year, Lipscomb University didn’t just show up—they delivered in full. The Bisons stamped their mark on the tournament, claiming both team and individual victories, setting the tone in their 2024-2025 season debut.
After opening up with a 6-under 274, the Bisons had a 4-stroke lead, looking to match their first round with something similar. They went even lower– firing an 11-under 269– and jumped out to an 11-stroke lead over 2nd place. Teeing off with a big lead, Lipscomb struggled to a 6-over 286 on the final day, but it was plenty to stay clear of 2nd place Kennesaw State.
Following Lipscomb's first-place score of 11-under, Kennesaw State fired rounds of 282-275-280 to finish at 3-under, 8 strokes shy of the lead. Coastal Carolina, who was Lipscomb’s nearest competition heading into the final round, fired a shaky 284 after rounds of 279-275 to finish at two-under in 3rd place, just leapfrogged by Kennesaw State. Hometown Western Carolina was the only other team to finish under par at one-under on the tournament, firing rounds of 282-281-276 to finish in solo 4th place, 14 strokes clear of 5th place Xavier.
At no point did the tournament fall out of Lipscomb’s hands. They led by 8 strokes after round one, 11 strokes after round two, and finished the tournament with 8 strokes clear of 2nd place.
Lipscomb’s Alejandro Rodriguez took individual medalist honors, shooting rounds of 65-66-69 to finish at 10-under for the tournament, 4 strokes clear of 2nd place finisher Drew Sykes of Coastal Carolina. Sykes carded rounds of 69-67-68, finishing at 6-under.
Kennesaw State’s Claes Borregaard and Vaclav Tichy finished the tournament at 5-under– both with tournament-low 62s in the second round – to finish in a tie for 3rd. Lipscomb’s Minas Manias rounded out the top 5 at 3-under.
ABOUT THE
J.T. Poston
54-hole men's college tournament hosted by Western
Carolina University. Team (best four scores out of five
players each round) and individual competitions.
View Complete Tournament Information