SEA ISLAND, Ga. – Vanderbilt senior Will Gordon carded a first-round 5-under-par 65 on Wednesday at the SEC Championships in Sea Island, Georgia and is in a tie for the individual lead with Georgia’s Trent Phillips after the first day of play. As a team, the Commodores are in fifth place with a 3-under-par 277 team score.
Gordon posted five birdies and no bogeys in his first time around the par-70, 7,005-yard Seaside Course Wednesday.
“I thought I stayed really patient today with my ball striking and was able to pick some spots to get it close to the hole,” said Gordon. “I got some confidence with the putter that got my round going in the middle and my lag putting kept it a really stress-free round.”
As a team, Vanderbilt counted Gordon’s 65, a 1-under-par 69 from senior Patrick Martin, a 1-over-par 71 from junior John Augenstein and a 2-over-par 72 from freshman Reid Davenport.
“I thought it was a good first day,” said Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh. “Will and Patrick were very much in control today of their games and their emotions and I thought that was big for our team. When Will Is locked in, he really lifts our team up and today that was big for us. He putted really well and was patient out there. John got off to a tough start and showed exactly why he is who he is, which is a guy that loves to compete and find a way. Reid played well today and I am excited to see him continue to grow the rest of the week. Harrison had one bad hole today, but he’s playing really nice and we all know he will be there for us tomorrow.”
Vanderbilt trails team leaders Auburn and Georgia by five shots and third-place Ole Miss and Kentucky by two shots heading into play on Thursday.
“Today was a solid start and I love our guys competitive character and how much this matters to them,” said Limbaugh. “We need to be a little better tomorrow as a team, trust our preparation and focus on the right things at the right times. This time of year is about execution and being able to respond to adversity and play the next shot. These guys know what it takes and now it’s about enjoying the journey together.”
The second round of the SEC Championships continue on Thursday.
5. Vanderbilt – 277
T1. Will Gordon – 65
T15. Patrick Martin – 69
T31. John Augenstein – 71
T41. Reid Davenport – 72
T63. Harrison Ott – 76
