University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss
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Men’s Golf Opens 2026 Slate at JT Poston Invitational
9/12/2026 5:30:00 PM | Men's Golf
LIVE STATS
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — The Southern Miss men's golf team opens the 2026 slate Sunday morning, returning to the JT Poston Invitational as reigning champions. The invitational will be played at the Waynesville Inn and Golf Club, spanning three days.
The Golden Eagles join the 16-team field consisting of Western Carolina, Drexel, Elon, Francis Marion, Jacksonville, James Madison, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Middle Tennessee, NC State, South Carolina, UT Rio Grande Valley, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin and Wofford. The course is a par-71 measuring 6,735 yards, with round one starting at 9 a.m. Round two will follow suit teeing off at 9 a.m. on Monday, and the final round will be played on Tuesday starting at 7:10 a.m.
Southern Miss returns to the JT Poston Invitational after winning in 2025, posting a three-round total of 827, to stave off Kennesaw State, which made a late push with a tournament all-time-best final-round score of 273, resulting in a three-round score of 828.
The Waynesville Inn and Golf Club was first established in 1926 and is known for its various vintage guest cottages, event spaces and dining options, which tie together to deliver a unique vintage and modern charm. The course was designed by Donald Ross, who initially laid out nine holes on an existing dairy farm pasture, with the property nestled between the Great Smoky Mountains and Balsam Mountains.
Coach Eddie Brescher is traveling with senior Benjamin Fernandez, junior Matthew Javier, sophomore Jake Moffitt and freshmen John Markow and Franco Fernandez, along with senior Supakorn "Mic" Amornchaichan competing in the individual category.
Moffitt is returning for his second year after a strong 2025-26 season. He won Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, was named to the All-Sun Belt Second Team and earned Ben Hogan Golfer of the Month for November/December while setting a program record for a season-average low of 70.16.
Benjamin Fernandez enters his senior year after appearing in 12 events, setting the second-lowest season average with 70.68 in program history, earning Second Team All-Sun Belt and Sun Belt Golfer of the Month in February. Amornchaichan also returns for his senior campaign, having placed in the top 10 in two events and in the top five at the Seminole Intercollegiate, with a season average of 72.91.
Javier carded a season-low 8-under 64 at the Everett Buick GMC Classic and ended the season averaging 71.34. He was named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team and won the 2026 Sun Belt Elite Award.
Franco Fernandez and John Markow will make their Southern Miss debut. Franco Fernandez joins the squad after ranking No. 511 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), and Markow ranked as the No. 2 golfer in the Mississippi Class of 2026.
Follow the Golden Eagles on Instagram (@southernmissmg) for the latest information.
Lineup:
1. John Markow | 9:36 a.m. | Hole 1
2. Matthew Javier | 9:48 a.m. | Hole 1
3. Franco Fernandez | 10:00 a.m. | Hole 1
4. Benjamin Fernandez | 10:12 a.m. | Hole 1
5. Jake Moffitt | 10:24 a.m. | Hole 1
Ind. Supakorn Amirnchaichan | 10:00 a.m. | Hole 10
