6 / 68
4
The sophomore class was bolstered by newcomer Mark Lawrence, a transfer
from Auburn by way of Richmond, Virginia. He certainly made his presence felt,
finishing the fall season second on the team in scoring, including a final round
stroke average (Crunch Time) of 69.75. Lawrence posted eight rounds at par-
or-better, with his best result being a fifth place finish at the Marshall Invitational.
Another sophomore, Logan Yates, was third on the team in scoring with an
average of even par, 71.54, including nine rounds at par-or-better. He solidified
his place in the lineup following a pair of seventh place finishes in the first two
events. Sophomore Blake Fiest gained valuable experience while competing as
an individual at the Janney/VCU Shootout.
Freshman Sarit Suwannarut, from Bangkok, Thailand, came into the program
as the highest ranked player to ever compete for the Hokies. Ranked No. 1 in
the world among international players for the Class of 2016, he won an ACEAN
PGA TOUR event three weeks before enrolling in school with a 16-under par
total and a playoff victory over that tour’s leading money winner. He has lived
up to the billing, opening with a school-record tying 64 in his first collegiate
round and finishing third in his first two tournaments. Suwannarut led the team
in four of the five events in the fall and was second-low for the Hokies in the
other tournament, when Lane won the Janney/VCU Shootout. He is the first
Virginia Tech golfer to finish a fall or spring season with a scoring average under
70, at 69.92, which included 11 of 13 rounds at par-or-better. The other gifted
freshman, Tom Crow, competed three times.
Under the guidance of Hall of Fame head coach Jay Hardwick and 2009
NCAA Assistant Coach of the Year Brian Sharp, this talented group is
determined to continue its success in the always-demanding ACC. The spring
season will once again begin in Puerto Rico, and with the number of outstanding
tournaments that will follow, the Hokies will certainly be well prepared for the
ACC championship and a return to NCAA postseason play.
Mark Lawrence has the lowest final round stroke average on the team.