Vanderbilt men’s golf outlasts Arizona State in East Lake Cup final

The championship match of the East Lake Cup came down to the last hole.

It seems only fitting that the championship match of the East Lake Cup between the nation’s top two teams in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings would come down to the last hole.

With the title match between top-ranked Vanderbilt and No. 2 Arizona State tied at 2-2, William Moll delivered the deciding point for the Commodores with a birdie on the par-5 18th hole for a 1-up win over Jose Ballester.

Both players hit errant tee shots, but they managed to escape trouble to set up birdie putts on the final hole. After Ballester’s 15-footer missed his mark, Moll rolled in a four-footer to deliver the title to the Commodores.

The win capped off a comeback victory for Moll, who was 4 down through 10 holes against the Spaniard.

“It’s a big confidence boost,” said Moll. “I was pretty nervous over that putt but I was able to knock it in and it feels awesome for the team.”

Matthew Riedel put the first point on the board for the Commodores, scoring a lopsided win over ASU’s Ryggs Johnston, 7 and 6.

In the most exciting match of the championship, Sun Devil freshman Luke Potter rolled in a 15-foot, left-to-right breaking putt on the par-5 18th hole for a birdie and a 1-up win over Cole Sherwood. Potter enjoyed a 4-up lead through five holes but lost the lead when Sherwood tied the match with a birdie on the par-4 12th hole.

Potter bent, but he didn’t break, as regained the lead on the 13th with a birdie and again on the difficult par-3 15th with a par. Sherwood evened the match again with a birdie on 16 and after the players halved the 17th with par, they went to 18 all squared, with Potter eventually prevailing with a birdie on the last.

Vanderbilt went back in front after Reid Davenport rallied from a two-hole deficit to beat Michael Mjaaseth, 2 and 1.

After ASU’s Preston Summerhays defeated reigning NCAA individual champion and East Lake Cup medalist Gordon Sargent, 3 and 1, in the final pairing to even the match, all eyes turned to Moll, who was lining up his short birdie putt on 18.

The ball found the back of the hole, giving the Dores their second East Lake Cup title and first since 2017.

“For me, the word that comes to mind is grit,” Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh said. “I’m super proud of how the boys battled all day long, seeing the hole a couple of them were in early and how they were able to find a way to get the job done was an awesome way to end the fall season.”

The win is Vanderbilt’s third team title of the fall after victories at The Frederica Cup and SEC Preview. But after being upset in the finals of the SEC Match Play by Tennessee, the winter break will be that much nicer for the nation’s top-ranked team after their performance in Atlanta.

“We’re certainly excited to finish the fall this way, but also to see if we can improve,” said Limbaugh. “We’re going to get some rest and then work on some areas we need to get better in to be the best team we can be.”

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Top two in Golfweek/Sagarin rankings Vanderbilt, Arizona State set to meet in men’s final at East Lake Cup

On the women’s side, Hailee Cooper’s walk-off eagle on the 18th hole in her match led Texas A&M into Wednesday’s championship.

The top two teams in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings presented by StrackaLine will go head-to-head on Wednesday in the championship match of the East Lake Cup being held in Atlanta, Georgia.

Top-ranked Vanderbilt rolled over Texas, 3-1-1 to advance to the final against second-ranked Arizona State, which prevailed over Pepperdine, 3 and 2 to earn a spot in the championship match alongside the Commodores.

After freshman Christiaan Maas put the first point on the board for the Longhorns with a 4 and 2 win over Reid Davenport, the middle of Vanderbilt’s powerful lineup took control of the match, as Matthew Riedel, William Moll and Cole Sherwood all rolled to easy 5 and 4 victories, rendering the marquis anchor match between Texas’ Travis Vick and Vandy’s Gordon Sargent mute.

“I’m extremely proud of the way the guys came out and played today,” said Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh. “We talked last night about being excited to play and competing with pride in performance. Every day you get a chance to play is a learning and growing opportunity. I thought each guy did a great job locking in from the start. I’m proud of Matthew and William, who got our first two points, and Cole and Gordon both played really well on the back.”

Meanwhile, the retooled Sun Devils, down four players from last year’s team that advanced to the national final at Grayhawk, continued their strong play in the fall by defeating Pepperdine, 3 and 2 to advance to the title match.

Freshman Luke Potter got the Sun Devils rolling with a 4 and 3 win over Ian Maspat. Preston Summerhays then downed Pepperdine’s Sam Choi, 1 up with a birdie on 18 to give the Sun Devils a 2-0 lead.

On the women’s side, Hailee Cooper’s walk-off eagle on the 18th hole in her match against UCLA’s Emilie Paltrinieri sent third-ranked (Golfweek/Sagarin) Texas A&M into Wednesday’s championship against SEC foe Auburn, which shocked Oregon, thanks to a stunning comeback by redshirt freshman Casey Weidenfeld.

Texas A&M had its hands full with UCLA, a team that struggled to an 18-over finish in stroke play to land the fourth seed.

With East Lake Cup medalist Blanca FernĂĄndez GarcĂ­a-Poggio and Zoe Slaughter winning their respective matches handily, Zoe Campos and Caroline Canales put two points on the board for the Bruins, leaving Cooper and Paltrinieri to decide things.

The two players were never separated by more than a hole and the match was all square heading into the par-5 18th.

A fortuitous bounce left Cooper’s second shot in front of the green which set up her chip shot that went the length of the green and trickled broke right into the hole to send the Tigers into Wednesday’s title match.

 

“Hailee’s match went back and forth all day long,” Texas A&M head coach Gerrod Chadwell said. “She stepped up and hit a great shot down the middle on 18 off the tee after going all square on 17. Then her eagle shot on 18 was incredible. We really felt like UCLA was going to hit that par putt, so to finish off that match was dramatic and fun.”

Wednesday’s East Lake Cup championship match will be televised live by Golf Channel beginning at 3 p.m. ET.

For the full lineups and more on the men’s event from our partners at AmateurGolf.com, click here.

For the full lineups and more on the women’s event from our partners at AmateurGolf.com, click here.

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Vanderbilt men’s golf maintains top spot, Stanford makes big jump in Bushnell/Golfweek Div. I Coaches Poll

Stanford, up from 15th, and Auburn, up from 13th, are the big movers this time around, as they are tied for No. 3.

Vanderbilt has retained its No. 1 spot in the Sept. 30 Bushnell/Golfweek Div. I Coaches Poll. The Commodores received 14 of a possible 16 first-place votes.

Vanderbilt has a win, in the Frederica Cup, and a runner-up finish, at SEC Match Play, so far this season.

Oklahoma, which also received a first-place vote, is No. 2 up, up from No. 4. Stantord, which got a first-place vote, and Auburn and tied for third this time around. Both made big jumps with the Cardinal jumping up from No. 15 and the Tigers climbing from No. 13.

Illinois, which won the inaugural Folds of Honor Collegiate at American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Michigan, is No. 5.

Arizona State, Texas Tech, Georgia Tech, Texas A&M and Florida make up the rest of the top 10.

Bushnell/Golfweek Division I Coaches Poll – Sept. 30

Rank University (First-place votes) Points  Previous
1 Vanderbilt (14) 398 1
2 Oklahoma (1) 354 4
T-3 Stanford (1) 323 15
T-3 Auburn 323 13
5 Illinois 304 11
6 Arizona State 297 5
7 Texas Tech 279 8
8 Georgia Tech 261 6
9 Texas A&M 251 17
10 Florida 246 3
11 Oklahoma State 213 7
12 Tennessee 204 12
13 North Carolina 187 2
14 Florida State 185 18
15 Virginia 178 RV
16 Alabama 159 RV
17 Georgia 124 16
18 Georgia Southern 105 24
19 Texas 96 9
20 Notre Dame 81 20
T-21 Kansas State 71 NR
T-21 Wake Forest 71 19
23 Arizona 61 25
24 Washington 55 22
25 Pepperdine 46 10
Others receiving votes: Arkansas (45); Washington State (37); San Diego State (34); Oregon (33); Mississippi (32); Colorado State (25); LSU (24); North Florida (23); Lipscomb (15); Liberty (9); Louisville (6); Kansas (6); Wisconsin (4); Long Beach State (4); Mississippi State (4); Purdue (4); Baylor (3); Duke (3); Illinois State (3); Utah (2); Clemson (2); Little Rock (2); Charlotte (2); Kent State (2); BYU (1); Ohio State (1); East Tennessee State (1); Southern Miss (1).

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Vanderbilt men’s golf tops first Bushnell/Golfweek Div. I Coaches Poll for 2022-23 season

The Commodores received 14 first-place votes and were 12 points ahead of No. 2 North Carolina.

A NCAA Division I national semifinalist a season ago, Vanderbilt begins the 2022-23 campaign in the Bushnell/Golfweek Div. I Coaches Poll in the No.1 spot.

Vanderbilt is coming off a win in the Frederica Cup. The Commodores received 14 first-place votes and were 12 points ahead of No. 2 North Carolina.

Florida, Oklahoma, and Arizona State round out the top five, while Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, defending national champion Texas, and 2021 national champion Pepperdine complete the top 10.

Rank Team (First-place votes) Points
1 Vanderbilt (14) 584
2 North Carolina (2) 572
3 Florida (1) 544
4 Oklahoma (5) 538
5 Arizona State 532
6 Georgia Tech 480
7 Oklahoma State 472
8 Texas Tech 455
9 Texas (3) 422
10 Pepperdine 364
11 Illinois 349
12 Tennessee 314
13 Auburn 293
14 Arkansas 290
15 Stanford 287
16 Georgia 277
17 Texas A&M 256
18 Florida State 211
19 Wake Forest 180
20 Notre Dame 159
21 LSU 154
22 Washington 132
23 Mississippi 115
24 Georgia Southern 81
25 Arizona 37

Others receiving votes: Clemson (34); East Tennessee State (30); Virginia (30); Oregon (26); Duke (21); North Florida (19); Alabama (8); South Carolina (8); SMU (7); BYU (6); New Mexico (5); Ohio State (4); Purdue (2); Charleston (1); Missouri (1).

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