KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The 2026-27 season got off to a strong start for the Vanderbilt men’s golf team on Monday at the 2026 Visit Knoxville Collegiate, as the Commodores sit in fourth place with a score of 4-under 556 after 36 holes.
Vandy, who early on Monday was picked No. 4 by Golfweek and No. 6 by Golf Channel in their respective preseason national polls, recorded scores of 282-274 on the opening day of the fall season. The Dores ended play in fourth place and head into Tuesday’s finale four strokes behind current leader Chattanooga.
“It’s always a lot of fun getting the first day of a new season started,” said Scott Limbaugh, the Thomas F. Roush, M.D., and Family Vanderbilt Men’s Golf Head Coach. “We did a lot of good things out there today, and I am proud of how the boys hung in there and stayed positive on a long, hot day. It was a team effort as all of the boys stepped up and did some really good things.
A total of four Commodores carded under par and sit inside the top 25. A pair of underclassmen pace the way for Vandy after 36 holes of play at Fox Den Country Club. Freshman Tyler Mawhinney, who was named to the Golf Channel preseason All-America third team on Monday, and sophomore Jon Ed Steed, who returns to the Music City after a freshman season that saw him earn GCAA All-District and All-SEC freshman team honors, sit in a tie for 10th at 3-under 137.
Vanderbilt tees off Round 3 of the Visit Knoxville Collegiate on Tuesday at 9:20 a.m. CT from Hole 1. Tee times and live scoring for the Visit Knoxville Collegiate are being provided on Scoreboard by Clippd.
Mawhinney had a stellar first day competing as a Commodore. The Fleming Island, Florida, native ended Monday tied for 10th with a two-round score of 3-under 137. The preseason All-American had a standout performance in his second go-around the course, as he carded a 5-under 65 in Round 2. The first-year Dore collected his first eagle on the par-5 Hole 10 in Round 2. He added five birdies in his second round to end the day with seven total.
Mawhinney’s 65 in Round 2 marked the lowest 18-hole score for a Vanderbilt golfer on his debut day for the Commodores. It is tied for the sixth-lowest 18-hole total recorded by a Commodore freshman. He becomes just one of six Vandy freshmen golfers to ever card 65 or lower in a round, joining Ryan Downes (61 in 2024-25), Luke List (63 and 65 twice in 2003-04), Will Gordon (63 twice in 2015-16), Will Hartman (63 in 2025-26) and Wells Williams (65 in 2022-23).
Steed, who is playing as an individual this week, is tied with Mawhinney on the player leaderboard. The Enterprise, Alabama, native opened his second season with the Commodores by posting scores of 70-67 and led the team with nine birdies, seven of which came in Round 2. With his performance on Monday, Steed has now carded par or lower in eight of his last nine rounds dating back to last season.
Fellow sophomore Will Hartman opened his season with a two-round score of 2-under 138. The Marvin, North Carolina, native, who earned a preseason All-America honorable mention from Golf Channel on Monday, sits in a tie for 18th heading into Tuesday.
Senior Carlos Astiazaran went 2-under 68 in Round 2 and moved up 14 spots on the player leaderboard to end the day tied for 24th. Ryan Downes began his junior campaign with a 36-hole score of 3-over 143 and is tied for 50th, while sophomore Michael Riebe carded 4-over 144 to put him in a tie for 55th.
“Tyler’s second round was big for our team and gave us some much-needed energy and momentum,” stated Limbaugh. “I am also really proud of Carlos and Will. They were both solid all day long. Jon Ed finished strong, playing his final eight holes 5-under, which was great to see. This course requires a lot of patience and discipline to play your best.”
Freshman Luke Colton also made his Vanderbilt debut on Monday, as the Frisco, Texas, native carded 5-over 145 playing as an individual. Junior Bowen Ballis is also playing as an individual at the Visit Knoxville Collegiate and finished even par in Round 2.
All three Commodore individual golfers open Round 3 from Hole 10 on Tuesday, with Ballis and Colton teeing off at 8:22 a.m. CT and Steed at 8:33 a.m. CT.
Chattanooga’s Evan Rogers sits in first place at the end of two rounds with a score of 6-under 134. The Mocs are also in first place on the team leaderboard at 8-under 552, holding a one-stroke lead over Georgia and Memphis, who are tied for second.
Vanderbilt heads into Tuesday four strokes off the lead. The Dores will be grouped with Chattanooga, Georgia and Memphis in Round 3.
“Tomorrow is a great opportunity for us, and we need to be excited to play to our standards,” Limbaugh expressed. “We need to be ready to put our best foot forward as we begin forming our team’s identity. You have to go out there and earn it every year because success isn’t given, it’s earned.”
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