University of Tennessee Athletics
Men's Golf
- Title:
- Director of Instruction/Player Development
- Phone:
- (865) 974-0896
Assistant coach Sean Pacetti joined the Tennessee golf program in the summer of 2015 as the Director of Instruction and Player Development, and the 2017-18 season marked his third campaign with the Volunteers.
His most recent season on Rocky Top saw the Vols post seven top-five tournament finishes, including first-place showings at the East Bay Deli Classic and Yale Spring Invitational. UT turned in its best start since 1981-82, opening the 2017-18 campaign with five straight top-five efforts. Senior Lorenzo Scalise capped an impressive career, posting seven top-five individual finishes and capturing medalist honors at the Yale Spring Invitational and third place at the SEC Championship. Scalise, who was named first-team All-SEC and PING All-Southeast Region, set school season records for lowest stroke average (70.34) and most rounds at par or better (25).
Pacetti's work with the team also was reflected by stroke average improvements from Scalise (72.17 to 70.34), Rhys Nevin (74.22 to 72.21) and Brayden Garrison (75.00 to 72.80), among others, from last year to this one.
The 2016-17 season featured seven top-10 team finishes, including victories at the East Bay Deli Classic and Kingsmill Intercollegiate. Scalise demonstrated his continued development, leading Tennessee with 19 rounds of par or better, three top-10 finishes and a 72.17 stroke average.
In his first year on Rocky Top, Pacetti helped guide the Vols to nine top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments. The season was highlighted by a runner-up finish at the Kingsmill Intercollegiate. Pacetti also was instrumental in the development of Chad Merzbacher, who recorded six top-10 finishes as a senior.
Prior to his hiring at Tennessee, Pacetti served as Head of Instruction at the Golf Club at Fleming Island in Orange Park, Florida.
The St. Augustine, Florida, native boasts 24 years of experience as a golf professional and has worked alongside many world-renowned instructors during his career, including Mac O’Grady, Scott Davenport, Bob Toski, Dr. Bob Rotella, Mike Shannon, Mark Wood and Tom Burnett.
Pacetti spent 12 years as a professional tour golfer, including time as an exempt member of the Web.Com Tour. He posted a career-best, 18th-place finish on the final Web.Com money list in 1990.
His best individual results on the Web.Com Tour included one runner-up and two third-place finishes, and his best individual finish at a PGA Tour event was 28th. Pacetti recorded 18 professional tournament victories, a low competitive round of 63 on five different occasions as well as a low career round of 60 on two different occasions.
During his collegiate playing career at Alabama, the four-year letterwinner led the team for two years with the low stroke average, captured the individual title at the 1989 Southeastern Intercollegiate and was the fourth-place individual finisher at the 1989 SEC Championships. Pacetti earned his degree in Public Relations from Alabama’s School of Communication and also received a minor in Coaching.
Pacetti and his wife, Amy, reside in Knoxville with their three children: Ava, Ansley and Asa
