Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Grant Lester Selected to Compete in Genesis Collegiate Showcase
12/17/2024 4:50:00 PM | Men's Golf
First-year standout boasted Columbia’s top stroke average over the fall
NEW YORK — Columbia men's golf first-year Grant Lester has earned the right to compete and represent the Lions at the 2025 Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase. This year's event will be held on Monday, Feb. 10, at the famed Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.
Ranked No. 659 in the latest NCAA Individual Rankings, Lester started his collegiate career with back-to-back top-10 finishes. The rookie out of the nation's capital shot an even-par 211 in his first collegiate tournament, including an opening-round 4-under 66, to finish runner-up at The Doc Gimmler. The next week, he carded another 66 on his way to a 1-over-par 214 to tie for ninth at The Goat. For the fall, Lester carried a team-low 71.67 stroke average across 12 rounds, posting two top fives and three top 10s.
"We're incredibly excited to have Grant get a shot at the Collegiate Showcase and a chance to qualify for the Barracuda Championship," Director of Columbia Golf Rich Mueller said. "He had an exceptional fall and earned the right to represent us. This is an incredible opportunity for him and we are excited to see him compete on this stage.
"Playing in the Genesis Collegiate Showcase is only possible by support from our alumni and friends. It's a one-of-a-kind experience to play at a PGA Tour Signature course, representing Columbia, competing for money back to our program, and with a current player. Grant is grateful for this opportunity, and I know that Stephen, David, and Paul are excited about competing on behalf of Columbia!"
The Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase is an opportunity for a collegiate golfer to play their way into the Barracuda Championship while allowing universities to compete for a $50,000 donation to support their golf program. First held in 2015, the Collegiate Showcase will be contested for the tenth time in 2024. The college-am-style event pairs a collegiate golfer with three of his institution's alumni. Each alumni team plays a best-ball round against other teams. The low team earns a $50,000 donation back to the school's golf program.
Additionally, the low collegiate golfer will receive an exemption into the 2025 Barracuda Championship amongst these other benefits:
· PGA TOUR U points.
· Player can turn professional and play as a pro in the tournament.
· Playing in an official PGA TOUR event in collaboration with the DP World Tour
The 2025 Collegiate Showcase marks the 11th year of the annual event. Past team champions of the Collegiate Showcase include USC (2020), San Jose State (2019), Texas (2018 and 2016), Pepperdine (2017), and Oregon (2015). Individual collegiate champions who earned an exemption into The Genesis Invitational include Michael Brennan of Wake Forest (2022), Angus Flanagan of Minnesota (2021), Sean Yu of San Jose State (2020), Lukas Euler of Kentucky (2019), Scottie Scheffler of Texas (2018), Sahith Theegala of Pepperdine (2017), Charlie Danielson of Illinois (2016) and Will Zalatoris of Wake Forest (2015).
Other collegiate golf programs that have competed in the past include Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Pepperdine, San Jose State, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, UNLV, USC, Wake Forest, Washington and Wyoming. PGA TOUR pros who have competed include Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Jim Furyk, Bill Haas, Charley Hoffman, J.B. Holmes, Beau Hossler, Jordan Spieth, Jimmy Walker and more.
More information on the event is available this link.
For the latest on Columbia men's golf, follow @CULionsMGolf on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
Ranked No. 659 in the latest NCAA Individual Rankings, Lester started his collegiate career with back-to-back top-10 finishes. The rookie out of the nation's capital shot an even-par 211 in his first collegiate tournament, including an opening-round 4-under 66, to finish runner-up at The Doc Gimmler. The next week, he carded another 66 on his way to a 1-over-par 214 to tie for ninth at The Goat. For the fall, Lester carried a team-low 71.67 stroke average across 12 rounds, posting two top fives and three top 10s.
"We're incredibly excited to have Grant get a shot at the Collegiate Showcase and a chance to qualify for the Barracuda Championship," Director of Columbia Golf Rich Mueller said. "He had an exceptional fall and earned the right to represent us. This is an incredible opportunity for him and we are excited to see him compete on this stage.
"Playing in the Genesis Collegiate Showcase is only possible by support from our alumni and friends. It's a one-of-a-kind experience to play at a PGA Tour Signature course, representing Columbia, competing for money back to our program, and with a current player. Grant is grateful for this opportunity, and I know that Stephen, David, and Paul are excited about competing on behalf of Columbia!"
The Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase is an opportunity for a collegiate golfer to play their way into the Barracuda Championship while allowing universities to compete for a $50,000 donation to support their golf program. First held in 2015, the Collegiate Showcase will be contested for the tenth time in 2024. The college-am-style event pairs a collegiate golfer with three of his institution's alumni. Each alumni team plays a best-ball round against other teams. The low team earns a $50,000 donation back to the school's golf program.
Additionally, the low collegiate golfer will receive an exemption into the 2025 Barracuda Championship amongst these other benefits:
· PGA TOUR U points.
· Player can turn professional and play as a pro in the tournament.
· Playing in an official PGA TOUR event in collaboration with the DP World Tour
The 2025 Collegiate Showcase marks the 11th year of the annual event. Past team champions of the Collegiate Showcase include USC (2020), San Jose State (2019), Texas (2018 and 2016), Pepperdine (2017), and Oregon (2015). Individual collegiate champions who earned an exemption into The Genesis Invitational include Michael Brennan of Wake Forest (2022), Angus Flanagan of Minnesota (2021), Sean Yu of San Jose State (2020), Lukas Euler of Kentucky (2019), Scottie Scheffler of Texas (2018), Sahith Theegala of Pepperdine (2017), Charlie Danielson of Illinois (2016) and Will Zalatoris of Wake Forest (2015).
Other collegiate golf programs that have competed in the past include Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Pepperdine, San Jose State, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, UNLV, USC, Wake Forest, Washington and Wyoming. PGA TOUR pros who have competed include Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Jim Furyk, Bill Haas, Charley Hoffman, J.B. Holmes, Beau Hossler, Jordan Spieth, Jimmy Walker and more.
More information on the event is available this link.
For the latest on Columbia men's golf, follow @CULionsMGolf on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
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/ Men's Golf
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