SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — For the second time in Vanderbilt Athletics history, a Commodore has won an individual national title.
Gordon Sargent won a four-man playoff Monday at the Grayhawk Golf Club to claim the national title. The freshman birdied the par-4 18th hole to beat Parker Coody of Texas, Ryan Burnett of North Carolina and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra of Oklahoma State.
“It definitely took a lot of patience out there – it was playing tough,” Sargent said afterward. “I just kind of stuck to my game and just let it fall into place. It was just a tough day and just had to manage expectations well.”
Sargent came into the day at 4-under-par and actually had his worst round of the four-day stroke competition. But he recovered from three bogeys on the front nine to come back in at 1-over-par.
The rest of the field went up and down around Sargent until Coody, Burnett and Lopez-Chacarra all settled in at even-par as well. That foursome carted back up to the tee box at 18 for the first playoff hole.
Sargent and Burnett rolled their respective tee shots down the right side of the fairway while Coody and Lopez-Chacarra found the left-side Bunker. Sargent’s second shot fell just feet from the pin leaving him a birdie putt – it turned out to be his lone birdie of the afternoon.
Sargent joins Ryan Tolbert (track and field) as Commodores to win individual national titles. Sargent became the first freshman to win the NCAA individual golf championship since 2007 and just the ninth to do so ever.
