STATESBORO, Ga. – Vanderbilt sophomore Patrick Martin claimed his first individual title on Sunday at the Schenkel Invitational in Statesboro, Ga., after shooting a 12-under par, 204 (70-68-66) for the tournament and winning medalist honors by two shots over UAB’s R.J. Keur. Martin and the Commodores finished in third place as a team with a team score of 849 (283-280-286) at the Forest Heights Country Club.
Martin, a sophomore from Birmingham, Ala., finished the tournament strong Sunday, posting the tournament’s lowest round of 66 and carding seven birdies in his final round. In 54 holes of tournament play, Martin astoundingly counted only two bogeys on his card and 14 birdies.
Martin’s teammate, Theo Humphrey, was not far behind. The junior from Greenwich, Conn., finished the tournament in a tie for fifth place with a final individual total of 210 (68-67-75). Sophomore Will Gordon rebounded from a rocky first round to shoot a pair of 70’s on Saturday and Sunday to end the tournament in a tie for 18th with a score of 214 (74-70-70).
Other Commodore finishers included freshman John Augenstein, who finished with a 221 total (71-75-75, T-40), and junior Michael Decker, who carded a 230 (75-77-78, T-68) for the event.
“I’m so excited for Patrick and seeing him get his first win,” said Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh. “He does things the right way and is sold out to what we try to do. It’s great to see him be rewarded for that.
“I am also proud of our team and how they continue to compete. The result certainly isn’t what we wanted, but it will make us better. We lost a lot of momentum on #12 by not executing the shots at hand. Our season is a cumulative journey which is all about how we grow from week to week. Are we learning from our mistakes and owning them? That’s how I expect us to get better. These guys hurt right now and I love that! We can be successful with that type of character. Gordo played really well the last two rounds and that’s very encouraging. Also, Theo is continuing to grow and get more consistent. He didn’t finish the round like he wanted to, however, I believe he will get better from it.”
Florida won the team title with a score of 846 (282-282-282), three shots better than the Commodores and two shots better than second-place Georgia Southern.
“We will get back and work on getting a little better,” said Limbaugh. “The Mason Rudolph is next and we will be excited to play in front of our fans. I would love for them to have a lot of support that weekend.”
3. Vanderbilt – 283-280-286=849
1. Patrick Martin – 70-68-66=204
T5. Theo Humphrey – 68-67-75=210
T18. Will Gordon – 74-70-70=214
T40. John Augenstein – 71-75-75=221
T68. Michael Decker – 75-77-78=230
