PANAMA CITY, Fla. – The No. 3-ranked Vanderbilt men’s golf team had its best round of the 2025-26 season on moving day at the 2026 Watersound Invitational, as the Commodores jumped to first place on the team leaderboard after carding a season-low 13-under 267 in Round 2.
Vandy’s performance in Round 2 at the Watersound Invitational gives the Dores a six-stroke lead going into the final 18 holes of play on Wednesday at The Third Golf Course. Vanderbilt enters the final round holding a two-day score of 20-under 540 and currently has a six-stroke lead over second-place No. 8 Arkansas.
Sophomore Ryan Downes had a round to remember on the second day of the 2026 spring season, as the Longmeadow, Massachusetts, native finished at 7-under 63. Downes’ 63 on Tuesday is tied for the fifth-lowest 18-hole total in school history. It is the sophomore’s second top-five single-round performance at Vanderbilt. Downes is one of two Vandy golfers to hold claim to the program’s lowest 18-hole score ever recorded with his 10-under 61 in Round 1 at the 2025 Mason Rudolph Championship, sharing the honors with All-American Cole Sherwood.
The sophomore collected eight birdies on the day to push his tournament-leading total to 13 through two rounds of play. Downes caught fire midway through his round on Tuesday, as he finished 1-under between Holes 11 through 16 at The Third Golf Course. Downes heads into Round 3 in a three-way tie for second place with a 36-hole score of 6-under 134. His score of 7-under 63 on Tuesday is the lowest 18-hole total through two rounds of play at the Watersound Invitational.
All five golfers in the Vandy lineup had under-par rounds on Tuesday. A total of four Commodores head into the final day of the tournament placed inside the top 10 on the player leaderboard.
Senior Wells Williams and freshman Michael Riebe are tied for fifth place through two rounds of play. Williams went 3-under 67 on Tuesday, while Riebe carded 1-under 69. The pair of Commodores are tied for fifth place with a 36-hole score of 5-under 135. The Vanderbilt duo enters Round 3 just one stroke off Downes’ score and six strokes off the lead.
“Great to have everyone in the round on moving day and all five guys shooting under par,’ said Thomas F. Roush, M.D., and Family Vanderbilt Men’s Golf Head Coach Scott Limbaugh. “Obviously, Ryan gave the team a huge lift with another great round, and it started yesterday with how he finished and hung in there and found some momentum. Wells was also a rock out there all day long and was in control. Really proud of Carlos as he got off to a great start, which gave us a lot of energy early. It was great to see young guys bounce back and show resiliency.”
Senior John Broderick continued his strong start to the 2026 spring season, as he finished 2-under 68 for the second-straight round. The Wellesley, Massachusetts, native holds a two-round total of 4-under 136, which puts him in a tie for 10th.
Junior Carlos Astiazaran posted his first under-par round of the spring on Tuesday, as he finished at 1-under 69. The junior collected Vandy’s second ace of the tournament, as Astiazaran completed the par-three Hole 6 in one shot. It is the fourth hole-in-one of the 2025-26 season, as he joins Williams, Riebe and Downes to ace a hole this season.
Junior Chase Nevins led the trio of Vanderbilt golfers playing as individuals at the Watersound Invitational in Round 2, as he finished at even par 70. Freshman Jon Ed Steed’s 36-hole score of 1-over 141 leads Vandy’s group of individuals, as he sits in a tie for 37th.
Ole Miss’ Daniel Tolf sits atop the player leaderboard after two days of play with a two-round score of 10-under 130. Tolf enters Wednesday’s finale holding a six-stroke lead over the field.
Vanderbilt enters the final day of the 2026 Watersound Invitational with a six-stroke lead over the field. The Commodores are seeking their fourth team title through five tournaments played in 2025-26.
“I thought we came out ready to attack from the start today, and we will need that same mentality early tomorrow,” Limbaugh stated. “We are in pursuit, and we have to keep running towards being the best we can be. Tomorrow is a great opportunity and one we need to be excited about.”
Round 3 of the tournament begins on Wednesday with a 9 a.m. CT shotgun start at The Third Golf Course at the Watersound Club. Fans can click the link here to follow along with live results.
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