Men’s Golf Opens Season at Golfweek Fall Challenge

TROY, Ala. – The Troy men's golf team opens its 2026 fall schedule with a trip to Pawleys Island, S.C., and the True Blue Golf Club for the Golfweek Fall Challenge on Sunday. Teams will play 18 holes on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

The Trojans will roll out a veteran lineup, led by Lee Poppell and Pablo Gracia, both returning for their fourth year, while Thomas Crane and Lawton Emblom return after solid first-year seasons. Head coach Clay Bounds will also turn to Jack Lowery for his collegiate debut.

"This team switched from a very young team to a veteran team quickly," Bounds said. "I'm excited to see how the younger guys from last year turn into leaders on the team. Adding Jack Lowery to the team adds a layer of depth; he has come in and worked his tail off to make this first starting lineup. I'm excited to see his college career begin this week."

Gracia and Poppell combined to shoot 29 rounds in the red last season, out of 62 total rounds across 11 tournaments each. Gracia led the Trojans with a 0.16 score vs. par and recorded 14 rounds under-par, while Poppell was close behind with a 0.25 score vs. par and a team-best 15 rounds under-par.

"I feel great about this team," Bounds said. "The group of guys we have this year has the ability to go far into the postseason. Our qualifying leading into the first tournament was very competitive. That's what you want to see as a coach, the players pushing themselves to make the top five."

Crane had a trio of top-25 finishes and a top-10 in his rookie campaign, finishing the season with nine rounds in the red and a 1.47 scoring average, including four rounds in the 60s. Emblom came on strong in the spring, posting three rounds in the red and a 3.43 scoring average in his first year. Lowery led Homewood High School to an Alabama state title in 2024 and 2025 and to a runner-up finish last year; he finished third individually as a senior.

"It all comes down to our execution," Bounds said. "What we saw in our qualifying rounds really fired me up to see what we can do in a tournament. We really just have to get comfortable with the golf course and play our games. We'll be happy with the results if we do those things."

The Field
Troy, Tennessee Tech, UT Martin, West Georgia, Eastern Kentucky, Georgia State, Old Dominion, Murray State, Presbyterian, Missouri State, Mercer, Radford, Georgia Southern, USC Upstate, Central Arkansas and Bellarmine

Men’s Golf Opens Season at Golfweek Fall Challenge

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Players Mentioned

Thomas Crane

Lawton Emblom

Pablo Gracia

Jack Lowery

Lee Poppell

Troy University Athletics