Crane’s Hole-in-One Highlights Troy’s Strong Day One at SBC Championship

Monday, April 27

Madison, Miss.

All Day

Troy University

Sun Belt Championship

Crane’s Hole-in-One Highlights Troy’s Strong Day One at SBC Championship

4/27/2026 4:24:00 PM | Golf (M)

Live Scoring

By: Troy Athletics Communications

MADISON, Miss. – Sitting 1-over following a birdie on the par-4 13^th, Troy freshman Thomas Crane, who is tied for fourth place, grabbed his 8-iron at the 196-yard 15^th and recorded Troy's first hole-in-one since 2017 in Monday's opening round of the Sun Belt Championship at the Annandale Golf Course.

Crane's ace was the first by a Trojan since Cam Norman during the second round of the Linger Longer on March 20, 2017; Norman would go on to compete at the NCAA Championship later that spring.

Troy sits tied for sixth following Monday's opening round and just five shots of the all-important fourth spot; the top four teams following 54 holes advance to match play on Thursday to decide the Sun Belt champion.

The leaderboard is jam-packed, with Coastal Carolina and No. 45 Arkansas State leading the way at 6-under and 4-under, respectively. Southern Miss is even-par in third, followed by South Alabama at 1-over in fourth. JMU (+2), App State (+5), Troy (+6) and App State (+6) round out the top seven, all within five shots of fourth place.

Crane finished the day 2-under par, aided by a 3-under back nine, ending with a birdie on the par-5 18^th, his fourth of the round. He is tied for fourth with a group of five other golfers, two shots back of A-State's Jake Wallis.

Lee Poppell recovered from a difficult start, birding three of the following five holes and ending the front nine even. He is tied for 29^th place overall at 2-over, after recording two bogeys on the back nine.

Lawton Emblom and Grant Yerger are tied for 37^th place at 3-over after rounds of 75 on Monday. Emblom carded a pair of birdies, while Yerger eagled the 522-yard, par-5 fifth and added a birdie on the 11^th.

For the first time all season, Pablo Gracia's card didn't count towards the team score, as he shot 4-over on the day with a pair of birdies to settle into a tie for 46^th place.

Team Standings
1. Coastal Carolina 282, 2. Arkansas State 284, 3. Southern Miss 288, 4. South Alabama 289, 5. James Madison 290, T6. Troy 294, T6. App State 294, T8. Texas State 297, T8. Georgia Southern 297, 10. Louisiana 298, 11. Georgia State 299, 12. Old Dominion 301, 13. ULM 303, 14. Marshall 323

Troy Individuals
T4. Thomas Crane 70, T29. Lee Poppell 74, T37. Lawton Emblom 75, T37. Grant Yerger 75, T46. Pablo Gracia 76