Tennessee men’s golf produced a strong three-day performance.

The No. 15 Vols ended with a share of the team title at the Pauma Valley Invitational, finishing 16-under alongside No. 20 Georgia Tech.

Tennessee came out firing with an opening round 11-under performance and stayed consistent in the final two rounds to secure its second top finish of the spring. The Vols’ balanced lineup proved to be the difference, as multiple players finished under par for the tournament.

Senior Lance Simpson led the way for Tennessee, finishing 10-under for the tournament and tied for the individual champion. Simpson carded the Vols’ best round of the week in round one, shooting a 5-under 66. Simpson would follow up his impressive showing with a 3-under 68 in round two and a 2-under 69 in round three. Simpson carded two eagles for the week, and his consistency helped Tennessee maintain its spot on the leaderboard.

Sophomore Jackson Herrington finished 3-under for the tournament, tying for 14th individually. Herrington opened the tournament strong, shooting back-to-back 2-under-par rounds in rounds one and two.

Senior Josh Hill finished 1-under-par for the tournament, but his final round proved crucial for the Vols to stay in the lead. Hill shot 1-over-par in the first two rounds, but showed his resilience by bouncing back to shoot a crucial 3-under 68 in round three. His round three mark emerged as Tennessee’s best score of the final round.

Freshman Chase Kyes finished the tournament 2-over-par, tied for 41st individually. Kyes came out of the gate firing a 4-under 67 in round one, highlighted by seven birdies.

Freshman Luke Smith finished the tournament strong after entering the final round 7-over-par. Smith scored his best round of the week in round three with a 1-under-par performance.

Senior Reed Lotter, who competed as an individual, finished even par for the week and tied for 29th individually. Lotter shot 2-under in round two, featuring four birdies and an eagle along the way.

The Vols’ ability to respond throughout the tournament, especially in the final round, made the difference as they held their ground against a loaded field that featured 11 nationally ranked teams, six of which were ranked in the top 10. With contributions across the lineup and a tournament-best performance from Simpson, Tennessee showed both depth and composure in a pressure-filled environment.

With postseason play almost a month away, the Vols’ performance at Pauma Valley provides valuable confidence and momentum heading into the heart of the spring schedule. Tennessee will look to build on this result as they prepare for the SEC Championships and the NCAA postseason.

The Vols return to action April 3 at the Mason Rudolph Championship in Franklin, Tennessee.