SEA ISLAND, Ga. – Vanderbilt junior Matthias Schwab carded a four-under 66 in the first round of the SEC Championship on Friday and leads all individuals by two shots at the par-70 Seaside Course in St. Simons Island, Ga. As a team, the Commodores are in a tie for fourth with a team total of 286 with Tennessee and trail team leaders Kentucky and Georgia by nine heading into the second round on Saturday.
Schwab posted six birdies and two bogeys in his round Friday and has a two shot lead on six players tied for second. Schwab and teammate Will Gordon led the field in birdies with six and the Commodores tied Kentucky for the team lead in birdies after the first day with 16. Gordon is in a tie for 10th after rebounding from a slow start to finish with an even-par 70.
“I’m really proud of how we stayed the course today and hung in there,” said Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh. “We got off to a bad start, but I thought we showed some resiliency in how we battled when things didn’t go the way we wanted them to go. As a team, we need to play a little cleaner over the weekend, getting back to playing Vanderbilt golf. However, Matthias really played great golf today in that weather, and it was obviously huge for our team in how he was able to lift us up.”
Vanderbilt also counted a pair of 75’s on the day from freshman Patrick Martin and from senior Carson Jacobs. Sophomore Theo Humphrey finished with a first-round 78.
Kentucky and Georgia are tied for the team lead with a three-under par, 277.
“Tomorrow is an important day and we need to embrace that,” said Limbaugh. “I am excited for our guys to have another opportunity to show the type of competitive character they have.”
The Commodores will tee off at 8:20 ET on the number one tee on Saturday and will play with Tennessee and Texas A&M.
T4. Vanderbilt – 286
1. Matthias Schwab – 66
T10. Will Gordon – 70
T47. Patrick Martin – 75
T47. Carson Jacobs – 75
T61. Theo Humphrey – 78
