CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA – MAY 29: J.M. Butler of the Auburn Tigers celebrates with his teammates after defeating the Florida State Seminoles in the championship match during the Division I Men’s Golf Championship held at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa on May 29, 2024 in Carlsbad, California. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Powerhouse Auburn Tigers defeated the UCLA Bruins to claim the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship at La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, California.
The Tigers’ team included PGA Tour participant Jackson Koivun, who went head-to-head with this year’s individual champion, Oklahoma State’s Preston Stout. Koivun led by one hole heading into the 18th when Auburn secured victories in the remaining matches, ending play before their match was completed.
Koivun also showed grit during his semifinal match against UCLA’s Baylor Larrabee. The two were all square after five holes, but a strong run from Koivun ended the match on the 15th hole with a 4-and-3 victory. Every Auburn player was ranked higher than his UCLA counterpart in their respective matches. Despite the disparity in rankings, the Bruins entered the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country.
Their streak came to a screeching halt against the No. 1-ranked Tigers, who defeated UCLA 4-1 in the championship match.
“It brings tears to my eyes,” Auburn head coach Nick Clinard said of winning another national championship. “I love them so much, and I love Auburn and our program. I’m just very grateful.”
Source: AOL
Stout had to fend off a charging William Jennings of Alabama to secure the individual title. After shooting a 32 on the front nine, Stout reached 16-under par and held a four-shot lead. He fell back to the field after making three bogeys over a five-hole stretch but birdied the par-5 18th hole to claim a one-shot victory at 14-under par.
“This is what we practice so hard for,” Stout said in an interview with Golf Channel following his win. “I wish I wouldn’t have made it so stressful coming down the stretch, but that’s why we practice and why we go to Oklahoma State—for moments like that.”
Source: NCAA
Jennings, who finished earlier in the day, made three consecutive birdies on holes 2, 3, and 4 to close the gap on Stout. He eventually tied for the lead on a par-3 hole before bogeying his final hole, allowing Stout to secure the championship.
“I had a really good week and thought I did a lot of things well. I managed myself properly throughout the 72 holes and was happy about that,” Jennings said. “I did a lot of things well and played disciplined golf for the most part. After I made the double bogey early in the round, I knew I had to put it in gear and start firing at pins. I told coach (Jay) Seawell that I wasn’t here to finish third or fourth—I came here to win a national title, and that’s what I was planning to do. I got hot and gave it a run but came up just short. Overall, there’s a lot of good to take away, but it just sucks to come up short.”
Source: Rolltide News
Jennings is a sophomore and will likely return next season. Stout, a junior, is expected to be one of the headline names in the PGA Tour University program next year. He is currently ranked third in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.