Hokie ClubThe Virginia Tech men's golf team will return to action this weekend, as they travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to compete in the General Hackler Championship, presented by Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday. The event will be played March 10-11 at the par 72, 7,233-yard Dunes Golf & Beach Club.
No. 2 Texas A&M highlights the 15-teams field, which boasts seven top 50 teams, according to Golfstat.com. The Hokies are one of four ACC teams in the top-level field, joining Georgia Tech, NC State and Virginia.
Mark Lawrence Jr., will start in the first spot for the Hokies. The junior from Richmond, Virginia, tied for 26th in the spring opener in Puerto Rico. Lawrence, a 2017 US Amateur semifinalist, currently leads the Hokies in stroke average and Crunch Time scoring.
Connor Burgess is second for Tech. The freshman from Lynchburg, Virginia, has started strong for the Hokies in his first collegiate season. He has a top 5 and an additional top 20 finish this season, highlighted by a second place finish at the Janney Invitational.
Ian Hildebrand is playing in the third spot for the Hokies. The senior co-captain from Purcellville, Virginia joined the starting line-up in Puerto Rico, finishing 49th in the elite event.
Slade Pickering is fourth for Tech. The freshman from North West, South Africa, competed in all five fall events and is making his spring debut at the Hackler. His best finish, to date, is 33rd at the Tar Hell Intercollegiate.
Rounding out the top five for the Hokies is Tom Crow. The sophomore from Virginia Beach, Virginia, is also making his spring debut for the Hokies. He played in two fall events and made his debut in Tech's starting line-up in this event last season.
Blake Fiest will be playing the tournament as an individual. The junior from Huntersville, North Carolina has played in every event this season for Tech and is second on the team in scoring average and Crunch Time scoring.
The General Hackler Championship has been a top-level event for more than 15 years. Among notables that have competed in this event include World No. 1 golfer Dustin Johnson of host Coastal Carolina, 2011 FedEx Cup champion Bill Haas of Wake Forest, 2012 FedEx Cup champion Brandt Snedeker of Vanderbilt, 2008 NCAA champion Matt Hill of NC State and PGA Tour member and 2003 Hackler champion, Brendon de Jonge of Virginia Tech.
The tournament will have a practice round on Friday and competition will begin on Saturday morning with 36 holes of play. The final round will be played on Sunday morning. Live scoring is available on Hokiesports.com, vial a link from Golfstat.com.