Callaway Collegiate Match Play: Arkansas-Duke final
Bradenton, Fla. (March 19, 2012) -- Top-seeded Arkansas will face third-seeded and defending tournament champion Duke in the final of the Callaway Collegiate Match Play Championship at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla.
Arkansas swept its five matches against Chattanooga to win its semifinal bout. Sebastian Cappelen and Austin Cook claimed their matches 4 and 3 and 4 and 2, respectively. Ethan Tracy, Kolton Crawford and Thomas Sorensen all won 1-up for the Razorbacks.
“We had a couple of guys get off to good starts,” said Arkansas Coach Brad McMakin. “Sebastian (Cappelen) got ahead early in his match, which definitely makes you feel good as a coach. Austin (Cook) was up 4 four through nine. As a coach if you can get two guys in control early it allows you to focus on the other three and takes a lot of stress off knowing you only need one of those three matches. Our guys did a good job and won those last three matches on the last hole.”
Duke nipped second-seeded California, 3-2, in the other semifinal. Brinson Paolini put Duke on the board early with a 6 and 5 victory before Cal’s Max Homa evened the match after a 4 and 3 triumph. The two teams would also trade the next two matches with the Blue Devils’ Austin Cody and the Bears’ Brandon Hagy each winning 2 and 1. California’s Keelan Kilpatrick led most of the final match before Duke’s Tim Gornik birdied the match’s 18th hole to force a playoff. Gornik would drain a 35-foot putt for birdie on the first playoff hole to win the match.
“Going in our guys knew the golf course was the main attraction,” said Duke Coach Jamie Green. “You’ve got to focus all your attention on these holes and on each shot. It’s a pretty special place. That being said, you do have an opponent out there and Cal is truly one of the best teams in the country. They’re very strong from top to bottom. You weren’t going to win any points by accident. You had to play really well and luckily our guys did that on enough holes.”
Final-round matches will begin Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m. ET.