LOUDON — The “W” in Brennan Webb stands for win.
Tennessee golf kicked off the 2025 fall season by welcoming a 16-team field to Tennessee National Golf Club for the Visit Knoxville Collegiate. After three rounds of play, it was the Vols coming away victorious as a team — while claiming a co-champion in the individual field.
The Vols’ revolving lineup finished the weekend at 19-under-par on the par-70 course, claiming a seven-shot win over second-place Ole Miss. It is the 12th tournament win under the direction of head coach Webb, the third-most in Tennessee history.
“I think it’s probably been the most complete team effort in any of the wins that we’ve had,” Webb said.
Meanwhile, after failing to qualify for the lineup, Auburn transfer Reed Lotter walked away as co-champion with a seven-under-par finish. He tied at the top of the leaderboard with Charlotte’s Chase Cline.
Lotter shot 71-66-66 to claw to the top of the charts after entering the final round trailing by four strokes to teammate Bruce Murphy. His final-round 66 was tied for the best round of the day.
“That’s one of the biggest advantages now is everyone’s just grinding, and there’s no complacency,” Webb said. “There’s no well, ‘I’m going to play anyways.’ And so that’s great for everybody. It makes everybody better.”
Lance Simpson and Jackson Herrington steadied the waters for the remainder of the team, recording fourth and fifth-place finishes, respectively. Simpson shot 66-71-68 across the weekend, while Herrington added a consistent three rounds under-par, shooting 69-68-69.
The senior-sophomore tandem spent the summer earning major invitations, but returned to the college scene to lead the way as Webb’s one-two punch.
“Lance and Jackson did what they’re supposed to do, but being the one and two guys and set the tone,” Webb said. “And then a little cherry on top to have Reed win individually when he wasn’t even in the lineup. So really cool week all around.”
Simpson spent two of the three days atop Tennessee’s individual scoring. A rough day two pushed him down the card, but the redshirt-senior flipped it around early on Sunday.
The Knoxville native laid the groundwork in Round 3 with a par-four eagle on hole four to bring him from one-over to one-under. He rode under par the remainder of the day to secure his seventh career top-10 finish.
“Definitely a special week for me, just growing up in Knoxville and having all my friends and family out here, and playing a golf course I’ve grown up at,” Simpson said. “So it’s pretty cool to start the last couple of years out here and just look forward to the rest of the fall with these guys.”
Herrington’s weekend was a model of consistency. After starting his collegiate journey a season ago in the Visit Knoxville Collegiate with a top-10 finish, Herrington put together another strong weekend on the home links.
The sophomore, nicknamed “Fridge,” tallied three under-par rounds, including a red number day in Round 2 with two birdies. The fifth-place finish was the best of his young career.
“Knowing that if you make a bogey, you got plenty of downwind and birdie holes ahead,” Herrington said. “So just not getting too in your head about that, and just staying patient and staying in the shots, so I think did that pretty well today.”
True freshman Chase Kyes also made his debut over the three-day tournament. The nation’s No. 1 prep golfer in the class of 2025 shot four-over for the weekend with 66-74-72 rounds.
His final round featured a range of emotions. On hole 14 with a short par putt to remain three-over, Kyes’ ball lipped out before he tapped it in for bogey. In turn, he wrapped up two of the final three holes with birdies to escape with a two-over day.
“I think that’s kind of who he is, he’s just a competitor and a grinder,” Webb said. “First college round, comes out, shoots the easiest 66 you’ve ever seen.
“Struggled a little bit here the last couple days, but no give up in him. He’s somebody you can count on when it matters. And to be able to say about a freshman speaks volumes for what his potential is and who he’s going to become in this program.”
Josh Hill and Murphy were the other two golfers who cracked the opening-tournament lineup under Webb.
Hill put forth a strong 67 in Round 1 and followed with a bogey-free Round 2 to four-under through two days. He finished with a 72 on the final day, putting him tied for 10th place. Murphy also collapsed on the day after leading the entire field through two rounds with a seven-under-par showing. A 66-67 had him in prime positioning for an individual win before a last-round 75 pushed him down the leaderboard.
Murphy still claimed a 10th-place finish, making it four Vols inside the top-10.
“It’s definitely a lot of fun,” Simpson said. “I mean, all eight guys on this team compete day in and day out, and for all of us to get better. Each and every day at practice is pretty cool.”
Christian Pardue and Luke Smith also competed as individuals after missing the lineup during qualifying. Pardue shot 68-68-78, while Smith went 75-69-82.
The Vols return to the course for a two-day, three-round bout at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee, on Sept. 15 and 16, hosted by Chattanooga.
