Williams Claims Victory

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Vanderbilt men’s golf junior Wells Williams captured his second win of the season this weekend, as he carded 15-under 198 to win the 2025 Mason Rudolph Championship at Vanderbilt Legends Club.

The junior rode the momentum from Round 1, where he carded a career-low 8-under 63, to claim his third career collegiate victory. The West Point, Mississippi, native finished under par in the tournament’s final two rounds on Saturday. Williams went 3-under 68 in Round 2 before shooting 4-under 67 over his final 18 holes to win the tournament by two strokes over the NCAA’s defending individual champion Jackson Koivun of Auburn.

The Commodores had three golfers place inside the top 10 on the player leaderboard at the Mason Rudolph Championship to help the No. 18/19-ranked Commodores finish in third place as a team. Vanderbilt carded a season-low 27 under 825 over 54 holes of play on a split course at Vanderbilt Legends Club. Due to weather, teams played the front nine of the South Course and the back nine of the North Course.

“I’m really proud of our guys this weekend,” said Thomas F. Roush, M.D., and Family Vanderbilt Men’s Golf Head Coach Scott Limbaugh. It was super exciting to see guys step up. Obviously, Wells winning the tournament was great. He has shown that he is a winner. He is not afraid to go ahead and get it and he doesn’t really stumble.

“You could tell we were a team on the back nine (of Round 3) that hadn’t felt the pressure of closing a tournament out this year. I’m disappointed for our team because I know they wanted to win. We wanted to finish the regular season on a high note heading into championship season. We’re still having too many bogeys or worse, I think that is something as a team we have to take ownership of if we’re going to do what I know we’re capable of.”

Williams’ three-round total of 15-under 198 established a new career-low 54-hole score for the junior to win the Mason Rudolph Championship. It is his second victory of the 2024-25 season, as he also captured the individual title at the Southwestern Invitational to open the spring. Overall, it is his third collegiate victory, as Williams won the 2023 Cabo Collegiate during his freshman season.

“What Wells has done, winning two of our five spring events against strong fields, is outstanding,” added Limbaugh. “Wells and Jackson have carried us this season. I must say I am so proud of Jackson. I hate that he had an out-of-bounds tee ball on Hole 15 because he wanted this win bad for the team. He is a special leader for us and a special person. Those guys know what they have to do, and they keep raising the levels of everyone around them. We have to get other people up on their level. That’s my responsibility and other guy’s responsibility.”

Freshman Ryan Downes posted his second collegiate top-10 finish, as the Longmeadow, Massachusetts, native tied for sixth place. Downes carded a career-low 9-under 204 over three rounds of play this weekend. The freshman opened the Mason Rudolph Championship at 10-under 61 in Round 1 to match the Vanderbilt program records for lowest 18-hole total and vs. par,.

Senior Jackson Van Paris, who was playing his final Mason Rudolph Championship finished in a tie for 10th at 7-under 206. It’s Van Paris’ fifth top-10 finish of the season. The senior carded a season-low 5-under 66 for the second time this year in Round 2 of the tournament.

“We had a lot of positives this week,” stated Limbaugh. “Ryan Downes really stepped up and I saw a lot of great things from Gordon Sargent. We just have to keep seeing who wants to step up. The coaching staff has got to push the right buttons and we got to get guys to take more ownership of their actions. Overall, I’m really encouraged with how we played this weekend.”

No. 2-ranked Auburn captured the team title at the 2025 Mason Rudolph Championship by carding 38-under 814. The Tigers finished five strokes ahead of second-place No. 5 Ole Miss.

“I want to give a special thanks to everyone at Vanderbilt Legend Club,” expressed Limbaugh. “What they did to allow us to get the tournament in this weekend was next to a miracle. We’re thankful for them to allow us to have the opportunity to host an event on our home course in front of so many fans. It’s a really cool scene and I’m proud to be the coach at Vanderbilt.”

The Commodores now head to St. Simons Island, Georgia, in a little over two weeks for the 2025 SEC Men’s Golf Championship. The tournament takes place April 23-27 at Sea Island Golf Club.

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