FORT WORTH, Texas – The Vanderbilt men’s golf team captured the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational on Tuesday at Colonial Country Club in dramatic fashion on Tuesday, winning the team championship by one shot over Florida with a final team score of one-under par, 839 (275-276-288). Freshman John Auguenstein was the team’s best finisher for the week, carding a two-under par, 208 (66-69-73) to finish in fifth place on the individual leader board.
The Commodores and Gators were in a back-and-forth affair for most of the day with the lead switching between the two teams on an almost minute-by-minute basis on the back nine. However, Augenstein’s par on 18 and two bogeys by Florida’s Alejandro Tosti on 17 and 18 opened the door for Vanderbilt to take the team title. Sophomore Patrick Martin also came through when he needed to most, birdieing 18, while Theo Humphrey and Matthias Schwab each parred their final three holes. In fact, Schwab had eight pars and a birdie in his back nine.
Vanderbilt posted its worst score of the week on Tuesday with an eight-over par, 288, but the score actually tied for the best of the day among all teams because of windy, tough conditions at the par-70, 7,204-yard Colonial Country Club.
“It was an extremely difficult day of golf today with high winds,” said Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh. “We knew before we teed off that it was going to be tough. We always tell the guys that when things are hard it makes you better. Any time you are in the position we were in, with the lead heading into the final round, you know you will learn a lot about the team. That can be in winning or not and this week we won which was awesome and a great step for this team. I felt like our guys showed a lot of resiliency as we had the lead and then lost the lead, before ultimately regaining it and making the winning shots down the stretch. Today showed a lot about the character of this team. Theo really played a big time round today as he continues to grow each time out. John showed a lot of poise today after he doubled 15. He hit a great shot on 16 and made par, then got up and down from 100 yards on 17 for par which was huge. Matthias was rock solid and really putted well this week I thought. It was just an awesome team effort!”
Humphrey had the team’s best round of the day, carding a one-under par, 69, in his final turn around Colonial. Other counters were Schwab’s 71, Auguenstein’s 73, and Martin’s 75.
Individually, Augenstein had his best finish as a collegian, ending the tournament in fifth place. Schwab carded his 15th career top 10 finish and finished in a tie for eighth with a total of one-over par, 211 (71-69-71). Martin and Humphrey each finished in a tie for 21st, while Will Gordon finished in a tie for 33rd. Maverick McNealy of Stanford claimed medalist honors with an eight-under par, 202 (68-66-68).
Vanderbilt returns to the course October 16-18 at the Tavistock Colleigate Invitational in Windermere, Fla.
“Our guys are excited, but we also know we have to get better in order to be the best team we can be,” said Limbaugh. “That will be our focus before heading to Isleworth.”
1. Vanderbilt – 275-276-288=551
5. John Augenstein – 66-69-73=208
T8. Matthias Schwab – 71-69-71=211
T21. Patrick Martin – 71-68-75=214
T21. Theo Humphrey – 75-70-69=214
T33. Will Gordon – 67-73-78=218
