PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Vanderbilt senior Hunter Stewart led wire-to-wire at the fourth annual Carmel Cup and claimed his second career individual title, and his Commodore teammates posted the tournament’s lowest team round of the tournament Sunday to vault into second place on the team leader board to close out play at world-renowned Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Stewart finished the tournament at 11-under par, 205 (67-70-68), two strokes better than second place Lee McCoy of Georgia. Stewart is the Commodores’ second consecutive medalist at the Carmel Cup, with then-freshman Matthias Schwab winning the stroke play portion of the tournament last year in his first collegiate competition. The Lexington, Ky., native’s final-round 68 included four birdies and an eagle at the par-five, 511-yard number two that propelled him to his second career individual title.
Stewart’s last medalist honor came at the Samford Intercollegiate in March of 2013.
“Hunter played solid all week and really did a good job in leading our team,” said Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh. “He got off to a great start today and was able to sustain it the entire round to get the individual victory.”
The Commodores surged to second behind Stewart’s 68, as well as a 68 from freshman Theo Humphrey, the best round of his collegiate career. Junior Carson Jacobs carded a two-under par, 70, on Sunday, junior Zack Jaworski shot a one-under par, 71, with seniors Ben Fogler and Jordan Janico each carding a two-over par, 74. Sunday’s team total of 351 was the best single-round score of the tournament, and the Commodores finished five strokes back of team champion Georgia.
“It was a total team effort today from all six guys,” said Limbaugh. “I’m really proud of how these guys competed. We fought our way back into the tournament and had a chance to win it on the back nine. We challenged Zack and Theo to get out early and set the tone and they did a great job. We always want to be our best at the end and having the low round of the day was great.”
Jacobs finished the tournament in a tie for eighth, with Janico ending the event in a tie for 13th. Humphrey jumped 16 spots on the individual leader board to a tie for 26th, Jaworski finished in a tie for 29th, with Fogler finished in a tie for 41st.
Vanderbilt returns to the course September 19-21 at the DICK’s Sporting Goods Collegiate Cup at the Golf Club of Tennessee.
“We have a few weeks before our next event and we are looking forward to going to work and preparing for the DICK’s Collegiate Cup.”
