NASHVILLE, Tenn. – It’s already been quite a summer for the Vanderbilt men’s golf program, as incoming, current and former Commodores continue to make their mark across the golf world.
Preston Captures Magnolia Amateur Crown
As the Magnolia Amateur leader by one stroke heading into the final round, incoming freshman Jansen Preston kept his scorecard clean with 14 pars and balanced his two back-nine bogeys with birdies on Nos. 13 and 17. Preston walked off the 18th green at 8-under only to find himself in a three-way, sudden-death playoff.
Heading back to the 18th tee, all three players found the fairway and stuck their approaches inside 20-feet on the par-4. The only one to capitalize on his approach, Preston drained an 8-footer for just his third birdie on the day and the win. It marked the first time a playoff has been necessary to crown a champion in the nine-year history at the Magnolia Amateur.
Taking home individual honors, Preston also helped Vanderbilt grab the “team” title. The Magnolia crowns the lowest two collegiate teammates as a team champion, separate from the individual and mid-am championships. Splitting the honor was Preston and Reid Davenport and Mississippi State’s Cameron Clarke and Nelson whose combined scores were 14-under (199).
Hats off to @jansenpreston on winning the Magnolia Amateur. #VandyGolf | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/04MQasoBaB
— Vanderbilt Men’s Golf (@VandyMGolf) July 12, 2020
Davenport (-6) tied for fourth and Matthew Riedel (-1) tied for 18th. Through the first two rounds, both Mason Greenberg and Cole Sherwood were 3-over to miss the cut.
The Magnolia Amateur is a limited field event of 156 players consisting of a collegiate division and a mid-amateur division. It is an exclusive amateur tournament, where players are reviewed and accepted by the tournament committee.
Shears Shines at Tennessee Match Play Championship
Michael Shears played his way into the quarterfinals of the Tennessee Match Play Championship contested at Lookout Mountain Club before falling in the Round of 8 on July 9.
Memorial to Feature Snedeker and Schwab
Hosted annually at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, the Memorial Tournament founded and hosted by Jack Nicklaus showcases the world’s best golfers competing on one of the most challenging venues. Representing Vanderbilt will be Matthias Schwab and Brandt Snedeker.
Schwab will be playing in a select number of PGA Tour events before competing in his first major — the PGA Championship — in August.
@muirfieldvillagegolf is a beautiful place ⛳️ excited for my restart of the season @PGATOUR 💯 pic.twitter.com/qJdvJVvfWN
— Matthias Schwab (@schwab_matth) July 14, 2020
Snedeker, who has played in four events since the season resumed, placed 41st at the Travelers Championship in June and enters this event after playing in last week’s Workday Charity Open.
Golf Channel will provide coverage of Thursday’s opening round from 1:30-5:30 p.m. CT.
Academic Achievements
John Augenstein (sociology), Davenport (sociology), Greenberg (economics), Harrison Ott (human and organizational development), Shears (public policy studies) and Luke Zieman (human and organizational development) were among those named to the SEC’s Spring Academic Honor Roll. Student-athletes on the list were required to maintain a 3.0 grade-point average either the preceding academic year or have a cumulative 3.0 GPA.
Prior to being nominated, a student-athlete must have successfully completed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours of non-remedial academic credit toward a baccalaureate degree at the nominating institution and have been a team member for the entire NCAA Championship segment.
Southern Amateur on Tap
Augenstein, William Moll, Davenport and Ott are set to compete in the Southern Amateur Championship (July 15-18). The tournament will take place at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas. Live results will be available here.
