The No. 19 Alabama men’s golf team opens the 2017-18 season on Friday when it competes at the Carpet Capital Collegiate in Dalton, Ga. This year’s tournament will once again be played at the par 72, 7,012-yard Farm Golf Club.

The tournament is slated for 54 holes in three days (Friday through Sunday) and boasts another strong field this year. In addition to the 19th-ranked Crimson Tide, the 2017 Carpet Capital features 14 teams; six teams of which are ranked in the Preseason Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll, while an additional three squads are receiving votes to be ranked.

Alabama will be led by senior Lee Hodges, who begins his second season with Crimson Tide this weekend. After transferring to the Capstone prior to the start of the 2016-17 campaign, Hodges was the only member of the team to play in all 12 events a year ago, on his way to being named to the PING All-Region team. He finished the campaign ranked 73rd nationally in the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index and was second on the team in stroke average (71.91) and average against par (0.33).

Junior Davis Riley will begin at the No. 2 slot after earning PING All-Region and Second Team All-SEC honors last year. He finished the 2016-17 season ranked 53rd nationally in the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index. Riley led the team with a 71.63 stroke average and counted a team-best 96.3 percent of his rounds to the team total (26-of-27).

Freshman Davis Shore will make his Alabama debut at the No. 3 spot for the Tide this weekend. Shore was ranked the No. 3 prospect in the nation according to Golfweek.com and was No. 2 in the Polo AJGA boys rankings. He played on the Junior Ryder Cup team in the summer of 2016 and was paired alongside fellow Tide signee Wilson Furr.

After advancing to the fourth round of stroke play at the 2017 NCAA Championships as an individual, senior Jonathan Hardee should continue to be one of Alabama’s most reliable performers. After battling through an injury through the first half of last year, Hardee returned to rank third on the team with a 72.20 average. He ended the campaign ranked No. 112 nationally in the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index and was the only Crimson Tide golfer to advance to the NCAA Championships fourth round, where he finished tied for 19th overall.

Rounding out the Alabama line up will be senior Steven Setterstrom who is coming off a career season in 2016-17. He played in 10 tournaments last year after having played in just six through his first two years combined. Setterstrom ended the year ranked second on the team in total tournaments (10) and rounds (30) played, while his 73.93 per round average was fifth-best on the team among players who competed in at least seven tournaments.

Alabama has won the Carpet Capital Collegiate three times (2006, 2007 and 2010), while former standout Justin Thomas won individual medalist honors in 2011. The Tide also holds course records for 18-hole (276 in 2006).

Alabama is set to tee off Hole No. 1 at 7 a.m. CT (8 a.m. ET) and will be paired with South Carolina and Kennesaw State.

Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabamaMGolf, on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.

2017 Carpet Capital Collegiate Classic
Tournament Field:
No. 7 LSU, No. 10 Florida, No. 13 Auburn, No. 15 Virginia, No. 17 Clemson, No. 18 Georgia Tech, RV California, RV Kennesaw State, RV North Florida, Chattanooga, Dalton State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Troy

Where: The Farm, Rocky Face, Ga. | Par 72 | 7,012 yards

When: September 8-10

Format: 54 holes over three days (Fri.-Sun.)

Best Alabama Finish: 1st, Three Times (2006, 2007, 2010)

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