Aug. 10, 2015
Vanderbilt’s Hunter Stewart became the first Commodore golfer to be named to the Walker Cup, an odd-numbered year competition that pits the United States’ best amateur golfers against those from Great Britain and Ireland, it was announced Monday by the USGA. The prestigious event takes place this year on September 12-13 at the Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England.
Stewart is the second-highest ranked American amateur golfer, according to the World Amateur Golf Rankings, and is the fifth-highest ranked amateur player in the world.
“Today is a very special day for Hunter and for Vanderbilt golf,” said Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh. “For Hunter be to the first Walker Cup player to play at Vanderbilt obviously says a lot about his accomplishments on the course. He has had one of the best years I have ever seen and his consistency has been remarkable. The Walker Cup is the mecca of amateur golf and it will be a very special honor for Hunter to represent his country in England. As I have always said about Hunter, his character is just as good as his golf and that certainly makes this an awesome day. I simply couldn’t be happier and more proud of him.”
Stewart earned first-team All-America honors in 2015 and also became the first player from Vanderbilt to be chosen Southeastern Conference Player of the Year. He captured three individual events during his senior season with the Commodores before finishing in a tie for third in the individual competition of the NCAA Division I Men’s Championship, where the Commodores advanced to the final eight in the team match-play competition. He was the co-winner of the Vanderbilt Male Athlete of the Year Award in 2015. He won the Northeast Amateur in June by four strokes with a 72-hole score of 10-under 266. A semifinalist for the Ben Hogan Award, Stewart qualified for the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, where he missed the cut. He was the first player to sweep his matches (4-0) in three years at the 2015 Palmer Cup and led the USA to victory.
Former Commodore head coach and amateur great Mason Rudolph also played in the event in 1957.
Snedeker prepares for PGA Championship
Current PGA Tour star Brandt Snedeker will compete in the fourth golf major of the year this weekend at the PGA Championship in Kohler, Wisc., at the Whistling Straits Golf Course.
Snedeker will tee off at 7:35 CT Thursday morning off of the 10th tee with playing partners Justin Rose and Geoff Ogilvy.
Schwab, Jaworski excel in Austria
Matthias Schwab and Zack Jaworski each finished in the top seven at the Austrian Amateur that took place July 30 through August 2. Schwab carded a two-under par 290 total for the four-round event, while Jaworski finished in a tie for seventh after shooting a 295.
Martin wins the Alabama Match Play Championship
Incoming freshman Patrick Martin, from Birmingham, defeated Lee Hodges, 1-up, to win the 15th Alabama Match Play Championship at the Montgomery Country Club. Martin was the last of 64 players standing after the four day event, which took place August 5-8.
Gordon finishes in top 10 at Porter Cup
Another incoming freshman, Will Gordon from Davidson, N.C., posted a 10th-place finish at the Porter Cup July 29-August 1 at the Niagara Falls Country Club in Buffalo, N.Y. Gordon carded a four-round total of one-under, 279 (73-70-66-70) at the tournament.
Decker finishes fourth at Northern Amateur
Rising sophomore Michael Decker finished in a tie for fourth at the Northern Amateur with a five-under par, 211 total (66-75-70) at the three-round event at the Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton, Indiana. Incoming freshman Patrick Martin also competed at the event and finished in a tie for 14th.
