FSU Golf Coach Trey Jones talks about hosting the 2025 Watersound Invitational

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) -We are now looking ahead to a rather big event on the area’s golf calendar, the Watersound Invitational set for the first three days of next week at Shark’s Tooth Golf Club on the west end of Panama City Beach. This an event hosted by the Florida State golf team, and it’s the sixth year the Seminoles have been host. Originally the event starting at Camp Creek with just ACC teams involved, and now it’s moved to Shark’s Tooth and morphed into an event that brings in golf teams from all over the country. This year FSU inviting the likes of Alabama, Mississippi State, UCLA, Vandy, Clemson, Kentucky, NC State, Michigan State, Navy, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame. This will serve as the spring season opener for most if not all these teams, and I had the chance to talk about that with FSU head coach Trey Jones.

“It’s not exactly our home, but it’s great to play in Florida.” coach Jones told me. “And they love the golf course, they love being over there. It is a place where we go for a team retreats from time to time. So, they’re excited. Anytime it’s the first time that we’re playing, and we haven’t played for the team since East Lake Cup in November. So, as the other sports will tell you they’re tired of playing against each other and they’re excited to get an opportunity next week.”

The coach adds this field will mean high level competition on a high-level golf course. And the fans that come out will be seeing golfers soon to be teeing it up on one professional Tour or another. ”It will be. And in the years past we’ve had the number one, two and three ranked amateurs in the world playing in this tournament at the same time. And this year, hopefully we’ll have the number one ranked amateur in Luke Clanton, who’s on our team. So, Gordon Sargent from Vanderbilt is one of the top players. And every team in this field has some quality players, some top ranked guys. I would say out of the 72 players that are playing, you’re probably looking at 20 to 25 Tour players. " And yes, FSU boasts the top ranked male amateur in the world rankings, junior Luke Clanton out of Hialeah in Dade County.

Coach Jones says overall they were a bit disappointed in the fall season and are hoping a big week at Shark’s Tooth will help them get the spring season going on a high note. They did make it to the NCAA final match last season, losing to Auburn. Made it to the semifinals the year before. There will be a practice round Sunday, the playing rounds Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the 17th through the 19th.