Cole Sherwood leads Vanderbilt to Cabo Collegiate title

Vanderbilt, with a final round team score of 19-under par 265 and Cole Sherwood’s 10-under-par 61, bulleted past 36-hole co-leaders Oklahoma State and Florida State to win its first Cabo Collegiate by two strokes over record-setting Texas Tech.

The Commodores, who began the day in fifth place, posted a 54-hole total of 820 that bettered the winning score of Arizona State in 2020 at the Cove Club by 12 strokes. Texas Tech, which started the round in eighth place, shattered the tournament record for low team score of 22-under at 262.

“We are at the end of a 12-day trip, and I just wanted guys to finish the week on a positive note,” said Vanderbilt coach Scott Limbaugh. “You don’t know if that’s going to be good enough to win on a day like today, but it was. I’m just thankful that they had the kind of determination to get it done.”

The first career win for @ColeSherwood25 after a 6️⃣1️⃣ on Tuesday @CaboCollegiate. ⚓️⭐️#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/MWjadnNcEe

— Vanderbilt Men's Golf (@VandyMGolf) March 1, 2022

Sherwood, sophomore from Austin, Texas, made three eagles, six birdies and a bogey to record the best individual round in tournament history, eclipsing the 63 shot by Oklahoma State’s Austin Eckroat in Round 2 in 2019. He lipped out for albatross on the fourth hole and had a tap-in eagle. It is also the lowest individual round in Vanderbilt history.

“I wasn’t thinking about my score,” Sherwood said. “I was focused on the team. I knew we had a lot of ground to make up. There were some good teams ahead of us. I never really thought about individual. I focused on making birdies and eagles for my teammates.”

Sherwood’s 17-under total of 196 is one better than two-time major champion Collin Morikawa, who played for Cal, and shot the lowest 54-hole total of 16-under-par 197 in 2018 at Querencia Golf Club. The Commodore’s score was also a Vandy record, beating the 198 set by Brandt Snedeker in 2002.

“I learned a long time ago that when guys are having a day like Cole was, you just stay out of their way and make sure they have enough water and enough food,” Limbaugh said.

The counting scores for the Commodores, who won the Prestige in Arizona last week, came from Sherwood, Reid Davenport (67), Jackson Van Paris (68), and Gordon Sargent (69).

Texas Tech posted the following scores: Ludvig Aberg (63), Baard Skogen and Andy Lopez (66) and Garrett Martin (67).

Florida State finished third at 823, host Arkansas was fourth at 824 and Ole Miss placed fifth at 830. Oklahoma State was seventh.

“It’s a special event with a loaded field and we know what it means to finish on top,” Limbaugh said.

Special to AmateurGolf.com by Pete Kowalski