AMHERST, Va. – The No. 3-seeded Vanderbilt men’s golf team slid into second place on moving day at the 2025 NCAA Amherst Regional, as the Commodores went 1-under 279 in Round 2 to post their second-straight under-par round. Senior Jackson Van Paris holds a two-stroke lead over the field with a two-day total of 6-under 134.
The Dores played with urgency early on Monday, as a rainy forecast is in store at Poplar Grove Golf Club over the next few days. Vanderbilt was 2-under as a team at the turn in Round 2 and sat at 6-under as course conditions began to worsen. The Commodores were one of two teams to finish under par in Round 2, as Arizona went 2-under. Vandy is the only team to have carded under par in each of its first two rounds of play at the NCAA Amherst Regional.
Vanderbilt ended play on Monday just one stroke behind Tennessee for first place, as the Commodores sit at 3-under 557 after 36 holes. The top five teams at the end of play at the NCAA Amherst Regional move on to the 2025 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship, May 23-28 at Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, California.
“It was big for us to get off to a fast start, said Thomas F. Roush, M.D., and Family Vanderbilt Men’s Golf Head Coach Scott Limbaugh. “We were focused on one step at a time. That’s what we’ve built our program on. We’re going to show up and play golf when they tell us, and we’re going to stay locked in. If we make a mistake, we’ll play the next shot, adjust and adapt. I keep talking to our team about staying committed, staying together and having a purpose about what we’re doing. So far, we’re doing a great job at that.”
Van Paris paces the field after 36 holes of play, as the Pinehurst, North Carolina, native tallied 3-under 67 for the second consecutive day. He takes a two-round total of 6-under 134 into the final round of the 2025 NCAA Amherst Regional. The senior added five birdies to his scorecard, as three came on the back nine. Van Paris’ nine total birdies are tied for the second-most in the tournament through two rounds.
“In the NCAA tournament, you’re going to have to have your experienced players step up,” stated Limbaugh about Van Paris’ play. “Jackson really likes this golf course, he is energized about the challenge it presents. He is being the athlete that we always challenge him to be and I’m glad he is on our side.”
Freshman Ryan Downes is also placed inside the top 10 after two rounds, as he is tied for eighth with a 36-hole total of 1-under 139. The Longmeadow, Massachusetts, native tallied four of his five birdies in the round on his front nine.
Junior Wells Williams shot up 23 spots in Round 2 to 12th on the player leaderboard after going 2-under 68. The West Point, Mississippi, native collected an eagle on Hole 11. He is one of six golfers to post an eagle at the NCAA Amherst Regional.
“We knew coming in that our competitive character would be tested today,” Limbaugh expressed. “I thought the team did a great job of staying in the fight all day long. Jackson’s and Wells’ rounds were huge for us. Both of them played really great golf and lifted our team up like they are capable of. The way Ryan rebounded from a tough break on No. 2 showed a lot of maturity. That says a lot about his competitive character.”
Tennessee leads the field by a stroke after two rounds of play at Poplar Grove Golf Club, as the Volunteers sit at 4-under 556 through two rounds of play.
Round 3 of the 2025 NCAA Amherst Regional begins on Tuesday at 8 a.m. CT. All tee times are tentative and subject to change.
Fans can follow all of the action at the 2025 NCAA Amherst Regional via live scoring by clicking the link here.
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