FORT WORTH, Texas – The Vanderbilt men’s golf team surged to the top of the Nike Collegiate Invitational leader board on Monday afternoon at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, after counting five birdies in their last three holes en route to a second-round score of four-under, 276, and a two-day total of 551 (275-276), one shot ahead of the Florida Gators. Freshman John Augenstein is Vanderbilt’s leader after two rounds with a total of five-under par, 135.
Augenstein joins sophomore Patrick Martin (T-8), senior Matthias Schwab (13), and sophomore Will Gordon (T-13) in the top 13 individually. Augenstein trails individual leaders Wyndham Clark of Oregon and Maverick McNealy of Stanford by one shot heading into the final round Tuesday.
“I’m really proud of how the guys played today,” said Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh. “We talk often about overcoming adversity, and in order for us to be a truly great team, we have to be able to do that. Our guys did an outstanding job of that today, playing the final three holes in 5 under.”
The final three holes were very good to the Commodores on Monday, with Martin carding two birdies in that stretch and Augenstein, Schwab, and junior Theo Humphrey adding birdies of their own to push Vanderbilt into the team lead. On the day, Vanderbilt carded 16 birdies, including five apiece from Humphrey and Martin, respectively. For the day, Vanderbilt counted a 68 from Martin, two 69’s from Augenstein and Schwab, and a 70 from Humphrey.
Vanderbilt and Florida are essentially in a two-team race for the team championship, with the Commodores 12 shots clear of third and the Gators 11. The two teams will play with Georgia beginning at 9 a.m. CT on the first hole of the par-70, 7,204-yard layout.
“Tomorrow should be a lot of fun as we try to be the best version of us as we can be,” said Limbaugh.
1. Vanderbilt – 275-276=551
3. John Augenstein – 66-69=135
T8. Patrick Martin – 71-68=139
T13. Matthias Schwab – 71-69=140
T13. Will Gordon – 67-73=140
T38. Theo Humphrey – 75-70=145
