PANAMA CITY, Fla. – The Navy Midshipmen men’s golf team begins its spring season Monday at the Watersound Invitational, hosted by Florida State and Alabama. The three-day tournament will be held at The Third Course at Watersound Club, a newly-opened par-71 course located just north of Shark’s Tooth Golf Course.
The 54-hole event features a strong field, including nine teams ranked within the top 75 in the NCAA rankings: #11 Alabama, #8 Arkansas, #3 Vanderbilt, #41 Florida State, #51 Kentucky, #56 Mississippi State, #43 TCU, #63 Michigan State, and #31 UCLA. Navy will be competing against a challenging lineup of collegiate golf programs.
The Midshipmen are coming off a fall season that saw senior Jack Tarzy emerge as a consistent performer. Tarzy’s strong play culminated in three individual medalist honors – at The Goat, the Commander-In-Chief’s Cup, and the Nassau Intercollegiate – a feat unmatched by a Navy golfer in recent years. He is believed to be the first Navy golfer to win medalist honors in three consecutive tournaments since Charlie Musto achieved the same in 2017-18 and 2019-20.
Navy’s fall campaign included a 13th-place finish at the Folds of Honor Collegiate, where Chip Deegan led the team with a 25th-place individual result. The team then participated in the Jackson T. Stephens Cup, where Deegan finished 16th as an individual competitor, earning Patriot League Men’s Golfer of the Week honors. A dominant performance at the Commander-In-Chief’s Cup saw Navy defeat both Army and Air Force, securing the program’s first outright Cup victory since 2021. The fall season concluded at the FAU Invitational, where Navy finished 16th.
For the Watersound Invitational, Navy Head Coach will field a lineup consisting of senior Jack Tarzy, senior Chip Deegan, sophomore Ed Scott, freshman Josh Durthaler, and sophomore Kaden Ausen. Freshman Hudson Mitchell will compete as an individual.
Tarzy, a senior from Medford, N.J., leads the team with a season average of 73.00 and a career average of 73.94. Deegan, from Newport Beach, Calif., is close behind with a 72.71 season average and a 73.76 career average. Scott, a sophomore from Lemont, Ill., has a season average of 76.82, while Durthaler, a freshman from Dunwoody, Ga., is averaging 79.00. Ausen, a sophomore from Puyallup, Wash., has a season average of 77.67 and a career average of 75.19. Mitchell, a freshman from Pensacola, Fla., has a season average of 76.07.
The tournament format is stroke play, with teams playing five players and counting the four lowest scores each round. Play begins Monday with a shotgun start at 10:00 am, followed by another 18 holes on Tuesday, also with a shotgun start at 10:00 am. The final round is scheduled for Wednesday at 9:00 am. Live scoring will be available on SCOREBOARD powered by clippd.
The Watersound Invitational marks the beginning of a crucial stretch for the Midshipmen as they look to build momentum heading into the Patriot League Championships. The team’s performance this week will provide valuable insight into their capabilities against a highly competitive field and set the tone for the remainder of the spring season. With Tarzy leading the charge, Navy aims to continue its upward trajectory and contend for a conference title.
The newly-opened Third Course at Watersound Club presents a challenging test for the golfers, with its par-71 layout and 7,252 yards. The course is expected to demand precision and strategic play from all competitors.
Beyond Navy, several other teams will be looking to make a statement at the Watersound Invitational. #8 Arkansas and #9 Mississippi are both ranked in the top 10 nationally and will be strong contenders for the team title. #11 Alabama and #3 Vanderbilt also pose significant threats. Michigan State, ranked #63, will also be looking to improve their standing in the national rankings.
