Coming off a fifth place finish in their first tournament of the year, the Texas Longhorns men’s golf team is headed to Vestavia Hills, Alabama to take part in the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate on Oct. 3-4.

The tournament is a two-day event held by University of Alabama that will host to a 12-team field. Texas, No. 7 in this week’s GolfWorld/Nike poll, will send a strong team of five golfers to Alabama with its eyes on a first place finish.

The Longhorns will be led by senior Dylan Frittelli, who finished second among all competitors in Texas’ first tournament at Olympia Fields Country Club in Chicago last month. In 2009 at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate, Frittelli recorded a score of 68 to help the Longhorns place second in the tournament.

In addition to Frittelli, junior Cody Gribble, who recorded a 66 in 2009 in this tournament, will be returning to Alabama for the event. Freshman standout Jordan Spieth will compete in his first tournament of the year for the Longhorns this week as well, and junior Julio Vegas and sophomore Toni Hakula round out the Texas lineup.

After dropping two spots in the GolfWorld/Nike poll following their fifth place finish in the season-opening tournament, the Longhorns will look to climb back towards the top spot with a solid showing this week in Alabama.

Printed on October 4, 2011, as: Texas builds off season opening tourney, looks to improve rank