Poppell sets program record for Troy men’s golf
On Oct. 6, fourth-year golfer Lee Poppell broke the Troy men’s golf shot record when he became the first Trojan to shoot 63.
Poppell completed the achievement at the West Bay Collegiate in Estero, Florida. The mark was a part of a record-setting day, as the Troy men’s golf team set a program record in the collegiate as well.
Poppell shot 9-under to finish at 63, while the team as a whole shot 16-under at 272.
“It’s a pretty cool feeling and in a place with a lot of history,” Poppell said. “I got to watch Brantley [Scott] break the record my sophomore year.
“It’s cool that someone I respect so much- my name is up there with him.”
The previous record of 64 was set by Scott in the 2024-25 season; the same season the Troy men’s golf team advanced to the NCAA National Championships. A sophomore Poppell was also a part of that team, finishing in a tie for the second-best result by a Troy golfer at the Championship.
“That’s something I can always fall back on,” Poppell said. “I was able to compete at the highest level, so nothing should faze me too much.
“Having that in the back of my mind, knowing that I’m good enough to do whatever against anybody.”
With the mark of 63, Poppell is now the sole owner of the record after freshman Jack Lowery tied Scott’s mark of 64 at the Argent Financial Classic. Poppell, a now-senior on the men’s golf team, is one of only two golfers left who competed in that NCAA Championship for Troy.
“We try to set the standard, because we’ve seen what it takes,” Poppell said. “I try to go about my business every day and just lead by example, be there for anybody if they need me.
“We didn’t lose anybody last year, so it’s nice from junior to senior year, me and Pablo [Garcia] had to set a bit of an [leader] example last year too.”
For the senior who has already tasted the thrill of competing in a national championship once, Poppell has his eyes set for a similar result for the 2026-27 season.
“Our goal is to make a regional for sure,” Poppell said. “Going into the winter and offseason, everybody is going to have in their minds as a team that, ‘We want to win a Sun Belt Championship.’”
It’s a full circle moment for Poppell, who came to Troy as a walk-on initially.
“I had a couple Division II offers and sent the old coach a text a month before I committed somewhere else,” Poppell said. “I said, ‘Hey, I’m going to go commit if you don’t have anything.’
“It was the last minute; I got a walk-on spot. Troy has always been home and felt like home the second I got here. It’s been awesome ever since.”
Poppell and the rest of the Troy men’s golf team just finished up their fall season with a fifth-place finish at the Qubein Cup in Greensboro, North Carolina. Poppell finished in a tie for sixth in the individual results.
The team gets a rest over the winter before returning to the links Feb. 7 in Cancun, Mexico, for The Compadres Collegiate held by UT Rio Grande Valley.
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