AMHERST, Va. – The No. 3-seeded Vanderbilt men’s golf team advanced out of the 2025 NCAA Amherst Regional on Wednesday, as the Dores posted a three-round total of 6-under 834 to finish in second place. Senior Jackson Van Paris captured individual medalist honors with a career-low score of 8-under 202.
No. 18-ranked Vanderbilt battled wet conditions throughout all three rounds of play at the NCAA Amherst Regional. It took four days to complete 54 holes at Poplar Grove Golf Club, as Round 3 was suspended due to rain on Tuesday afternoon. The Dores posted rounds scores of 278-279-277 to conclude the tournament at 6-under 834.
“It was a total team effort, I couldn’t be prouder,” said Thomas F. Roush, M.D., and Family Vanderbilt Men’s Golf Head Coach Scott Limbaugh. “This is about as happy as I’ve ever been of a team. This group has had a lot of outside stuff and outside noises, and to see them come together as a group and take ownership of things makes me extremely happy for our team.”
The Commodores now move on to the 2025 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship, which takes place May 23-28 at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. It is the 11th-straight season that Vanderbilt has advanced to the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship, which is the third-longest active streak in the nation.
Van Paris becomes the second Commodore in school history to win an NCAA Regional event, as he joins William Moll, who captured first place at last year’s NCAA West Lafayette Regional. The senior carded a career-low three-round score of 8-under 202. It is the second-lowest 54-hole score a Vanderbilt golfer has posted at an NCAA Regional, behind Jon Curran’s 201 (-15) 54-hole total at the 2007 NCAA West Regional at Arizona State.
The Pinehurst, North Carolina, native held round scores of 67-67-68 to win the NCAA Amherst Regional by three strokes. Van Paris was the only golfer in the field to card under par in all three rounds, while his 38 par shots tied for the third-most amongst the field. It is his second career collegiate victory, as he won the 2023 St Andrews Links Collegiate at the Home of Golf during his junior season.
“Good players have to play good at this time of year for your team to continue to the next round,” said Limbaugh. “It’s no secret that we needed Jackson to step up and play great this week. He is an athlete, and athletes like these moments. I’m so proud of him for getting his first win in the United States, with his first one coming in Scotland. He is pumped about winning, and I’m super proud of him.”
Freshman Ryan Downes had his best performance of the week in Round 3, as he ended the split-day round at 2-under 68 to conclude his first NCAA regional in a tie for sixth place. The Longmeadow, Massachusetts, native finished his stay at Poplar Grove Golf Club with a 54-hole score of 3-under 207.
“Ryan likes it when it’s tough, and he loves these moments,” said the Vanderbilt men’s golf head coach of the freshman. “He has the ability to really lock in during those big moments. He chipped it in on Hole 15, made a 17-foot putt for par on 16 and nearly made a birdie on 18. He is taking steps to become a really good player. We’re excited about the progress he is making.”
Junior Wells Williams, who was also playing in his first career NCAA Regional event, posted a top-20 finish, as the Palmer Cup selection ended the tournament in a tie for 17th at even par 210. The West Point, Mississippi, native rebounded from a slow start in Round 1, as he went 2-under over his final 36 holes of play.
No. 2-seeded Oklahoma won the 2025 NCAA Amherst Regional, as the Sooners carded a tournament-best 10-under 830. No. 5-seed Tennessee, No. 8-seed Wake Forest and No. 4-seed Pepperdine joined Vanderbilt and Oklahoma as the five teams to advance to the 2025 NCAA Championship, while Texas State’s Sakke Siltala is the advancing individual with a three-round score of 5-under 205.
“There’s a lot that’s been going on, and to see the guys advance is really special,” expressed Limbaugh when asked about moving on to the NCAA Championship. “I know our fans will show up for our team next week. We’re just now starting to catch the right kind of momentum. We will celebrate this moment because this was such an important step for this group to take, but we’ll be ready to go next week. There are a lot of opportunities in front of us. This was the first step.”
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