Behind freshman Gordon Sargent's first collegiate victory, the fifth-ranked Commodores picked up their fourth win in their last five events on Tuesday, claiming the team title of the Mossy Oak Collegiate in West Point, Miss.
Entering the final round nursing a one-stroke lead over Hunter Logan of Mississippi State, Sargent shot a final round 70 to win the individual title with a 12-under score of 204. Sargent was 1-over-par after nine holes on Tuesday but made three birdies in a four-hole stretch on his inward nine to seize control of the tournament.
Reid Davenport finished third at 8-under-par while Cole Sherwood shot a final round 69 to tie for 12th at 2-under-par.
“Gordon played awesome this week and I’m so proud of him. He did a good job staying patient and believing in himself,” said Vanderbilt head coach Scott Limbaugh said. “Reid had another outstanding week and finished each round so strong which says a lot about his character and leadership. You learn a lot about your players when things aren’t easy and I love what we learned about Cole this week. Man he battled and finally went on a good run today.”
Vanderbilt has finished no lower than third in its last six stroke-play events dating back to the Williams Cup in October and has collected four wins in its last five outings.
“Really pumped for our guys and how they locked in and took pride in finishing this part of our season the right way,” said Limbaugh. “Winning isn’t easy and they played with a lot of courage this week. Success can kind of make you lose focus if you don’t own your actions and your thoughts, so you have to hold yourself to the highest levels possible.”
Vanderbilt now turns its attention to the SEC Championships on St. Simons Island, Georgia, next week. The Commodores won the 2021 event by beating Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas, respectively, in the match play portion of the competition.
“We’ve got a short turnaround before we head to the SEC Championship," said Limbaugh. "We need to keep putting the work in and focusing on the little things we need to do to improve because there are things we can all do better. Championship season is about being mentally tough and embracing the moment when your moment arrives. That’s why preparation is so important and we have to stay hungry and humble.”