Lansing Sun

Michigan State senior men's golfer Ashton McCulloch will have the opportunity to play in his home province as the Spartans participate in the Canadian Collegiate Invitational. The event is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 16 and Tuesday, Sept. 17 at Oviinbyrd Golf Club in Foots Bay, Ontario, Canada.

The inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational is notable for being the first NCAA Division I men's golf tournament held in Canada. The two-day, 54-hole tournament is organized by Golf Canada and co-hosted by Penn State and Kent State, both led by Canadian head coaches Mark Leon and Jon Mills respectively. It features NCAA Division I teams with significant Canadian connections along with the team champions of the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship.

The individual winner of this tournament will receive an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open, while the top five finishers will gain exemptions into the 2025 Canadian Men's Amateur Championship.

Tournament details are as follows:

- Dates: Monday, Sept. 16 – Tuesday, Sept. 17

- Course: Oviinbyrd Golf Club / Foots Bay, Ontario, Canada

- Par/Yardage: 72 / 7,157

- Format: Stroke play over 54 holes / Play five, count four

- Live Stats: Clippd

The Michigan State lineup includes:

1. Ashton McCulloch

2. Caleb Bond

3. Lorenzo Pinili

4. Julian Menser

5. Joseph Canitano

IND – Drew Miller

Oviinbyrd Golf Club is recognized as one of Canada's premier courses. Designed by Thomas McBroom and opened in Muskoka in 2004, it features a challenging layout set among forests and exposed granite of Ontario's cottage country.

Participating teams include Kent State (co-host), Miami (Ohio), Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Penn State (co-host), Rutgers, University of British Columbia, and Washington State.

Live scoring for the event will be available through Clippd.

In their last outing at the Folds of Honor Collegiate held at American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Mich., McCulloch finished fourth overall leading Michigan State to a fourth-place finish among fifteen teams.

Foots Bay is approximately four hours from McCulloch's hometown of Kingston; nonetheless this tournament offers him a unique chance to compete on home soil. McCulloch won the 2023 Canadian Amateur and was runner-up this year; he has also represented Canada internationally and participated in this summer’s RBC Canadian Open.

"This is a pretty special trip and event for us," said coach Casey Lubahn. "We talk about memory-makers for the guys who play for us... This is going to be a very special moment for Ashton and his family."