BRADENTON, Fla. – The Commodore men’s golf team carded a 13-over, 301, in their opening round at a tough and lengthy Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla., and are in a tie for 20th on the team leaderboard after day one. Junior Zack Jaworski led all Vanderbilt players on Friday, shooting a one-under par, 71, and is in a tie for 13th on the individual leaderboard.
Two more rounds of stroke play remain on Saturday and Sunday, with the field cut to 15 teams and the top nine individuals not affiliated with those teams for Monday’s fourth and final round of stroke play.
“I thought Jaws really played a good round for us,” said Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh. “We talked last night that this is a marathon, and we just need to keep hanging in there. I think the biggest thing for us today is that we didn’t have all five in there, and that’s how we’ve been successful this year. The rounds got away from Theo and Carson, but they’ll bounce back. I believe in them. Their teammates believe in them. I told them, `We put in the work, now you just have to go play and have fun and focus on the right things.’ That’s what is important for us on this golf course. We have to be able to have the right focus.”
Vanderbilt counted Jaworski’s 71, a 74 from senior Hunter Stewart, a 75 from sophomore Matthias Schwab, and a pair of 81s from Carson Jacobs and Theo Humphrey.
“I putted really well and I feel like my ball striking is back to where it needs to be,” said Jaworski. “I’ve worked really hard the last two months to get it there. For the most part, everything clicked. I just had a little hiccup in the middle of the round on number eight when I pulled a nine iron into the bunker and made double. But, besides that, I had a pretty solid round.”
Concession Golf Club played extremely difficult Friday, with only two teams shooting par or better. Illinois, who played with the Commodores, leads the tournament with a two-under par, 286. Georgia, who played in the morning wave, is two shots back at even-par, 288.
“You have to miss in the right spots here,” said Jaworski. “This course is going to try and get you down, so you just have to miss in the right spots.”
Vanderbilt will once again play with Illinois and South Carolina on Saturday, with their round beginning at 7:20 ET off of the number 10 tee.
“We know that tomorrow is a big day for us, and we’ve played a lot of big days this year,” said Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh. “I expect us to be ready, excited and energetic when we hit the tee box in the morning to play Vanderbilt golf. We need to play to the standards that have been set by these guys and I know I’m excited to watch it and I know they’ll be ready.”
T20. Vanderbilt – 301
T12. Zack Jaworski – 71
T52. Hunter Stewart – 74
T71. Matthias Schwab – 75
T142. Carson Jacobs – 81
T142. Theo Humphrey – 81
