Augusta, GA
Men’s Golf Regional Preview: Commodores Head to Athens with NCAA Championship Hopes
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Dates: May 18-20
Location: UGA Golf Course- Augusta, GA
Teams
1. Auburn
2. Illinois
3. Vanderbilt
4. BYU
5. Georgia
6. Louisville
7. Kansas
8. Northwestern
9. College of Charleston
10. Rice
11. Southern Mississippi
12. Harvard [The Ivy League]
13. Howard [Northeast Conference]
Format
The NCAA organizes six regional tournaments, and each field consists of 12 teams and six individuals. After three rounds of stroke play at a regional tournament, the top five teams from each location advance to the national championship. The top individual on a non-advancing team from each regional site advances as well.
The Course
The UGA Golf Course has received numerous accolades during its 55+ years of existence. It is a fixture in Golfweek Magazine’s collegiate golf course rankings, coming in at #26 in 2022. In the state of Georgia, the UGA Golf Course is ranked as the 12th best public golf course to play by Golfweek Magazine. GolfAdvisor, which is more focused on customer reviews, ranked the UGA Golf Course as the #1 course in Georgia, the #1 collegiate course in the U.S., and the 10th best course in the nation to play according to data collected in 2021.
In May 2006, Love Golf Design of St. Simons Island was hired to renovate the green complexes and add 21 new tees to both lengthen and shorten the golf course to improve playability for all golfer abilities. The new championship Bulldog Tees stretched the course to almost 7,300 yards and provided the best collegiate and professional golfers with a very stern test. The golf course reopened in December 2006 to rave reviews.
Vandy’s Roster
Wells Williams- Senior
#20 ranked player, 1 Top 3, 68.4 scoring average
Will Hartman- Freshman
#278 ranked player, 70.9 scoring average
Chase Nevins- Junior
#180 ranked player, 70.1 scoring average
John Ed Steed- Freshman
#86 ranked player, 1 Top 3, 69.5 scoring average
Ryan Downes- Sophomore
#80 ranked player, 1 win at the Bryson Invitational, 69.6 scoring average
How Vandy Got Here
Vandy put together another nationally relevant season in 2026, spending much of the spring ranked inside the top 15 and consistently competing against elite SEC and national fields. Under head coach Scott Limbaugh, the Commodores combined veteran leadership with one of the country’s strongest young cores.
The season was highlighted by several strong tournament finishes, including a runner-up performance at the Mason Rudolph Championship in Nashville, where Vanderbilt finished behind Auburn after shooting under par in all three rounds. Freshman Jon Ed Steed emerged as one of the team’s breakout stars with multiple top-five individual finishes during the spring.
Senior standout Wells Williams anchored the roster throughout the year and earned first-team All-SEC honors, while Steed was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. Williams also repeated as SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, becoming the first Commodore golfer to win the award in consecutive seasons.
At the SEC Championship in Sea Island, Vanderbilt entered as a top-10/top-15 caliber team nationally, but the tournament ended disappointingly. The Commodores were in contention entering the final stretch before a difficult closing round dropped them to 15th place overall at 3-over par, ending their SEC title hopes early.
Opponents
1. Auburn
#1 ranked team nationally, won 5 and placed Top 3 in 10 events out of 12 played. Placed 1st in SEC Championship stroke play and 3rd in match play. Lead by Jackson Koivun (#1 nationally, 66.4 scoring average). Most famous golf alumni is Jason Dufner.
2. Illinois
#12 nationally ranked, Big Ten runner up, 3 wins and 8 Top 3’s in 11 tournaments. Finished 2nd in the Big 10 Championship. Lead by Max Herendeen (#51 ranked player, 69.5 average, 1 win). Most famous golf alumni is Steve Stricker.
4. BYU
#24 ranked, 3 wins and 6 Top 3’s in 12 tournaments. Finished 6th in Big 12 Tournament. Lead by Khei Akina (#6 ranked player, 68.0 scoring average, 2 wins and 4 Top 3’s. Most famous golf alumni is Johnny Miller.
5. Georgia
#26 ranked, 3 wins and 4 Top 3’s in 12 tournaments. Host school for region. Lead by Carter Loflin (#67 ranked player, 69.7 scoring average, 2 wins. Kevin Kisner is most famous golf alumni.
6. Louisville
#36 ranked nationally, 0 wins but 3 Top 3’s in 10 tournaments played. 7th in ACC Tournament. Lead by Cooper Claycomb (#115 ranked player, 1 win, 69.8 scoring average). Most famous golf alumni is Adam Hadwin.
7. Kansas
#37 ranked team, 1 win and 5 Top 3’s in 12 events. 5th in Big 12 Tournament. Lead by William King (#145 ranked player, 0 wins or Top 3’s but a 69.9 scoring average). Most famous golf alumni is Gary Woodland.
8. Northwestern
#50 ranked team, 0 wins or Top 3’s. Finished 9th in Big 10 Tournament. Lead by Daniel Savard (#69 ranked player, 2 Top 3’s, 69.2 scoring average). Matt Fitzpatrick is most famous golf alumni.
9. College of Charleston
#51 ranked team, 3 wins and 5 Top 3’s in 10 events played. Finished 3rd in CAA Championship. Lead by Miles Eubanks (#117 ranked player, 1 win and 2 Top 3’s, scoring average of 69.7). Most famous golf alumni is Kieron van Wyk.
10. Rice
#62 ranked team, 2 wins and 4 Top 3’s in 11 events played. Finished 3rd in the American Conference Championship. Lead by Lukas Boandl (#93 ranked player, 1 win and 2 Top 3’s, 69.6 scoring average. Most famous golf alumni is Brad Lardon.
11. Southern Mississippi
#63 ranked team, 2 wins and 7 Top 3’s in 10 events. Finished 3rd in the Sunbelt Conference Championship. Lead by Benjamin Fernandez (#203 ranked player, 4 Top 3’s, 70.6 scoring average). Most famous golf alumni is Mark Blackburn.
12. Harvard
#124 ranked team, 2 wins and 3 Top 3’s in 7 events played. Won the Ivy League Championship. Lead by Barry Zhang (#598 ranked player, 1 win at the Ivy League Championships, 72.2 scoring average). Most famous golf alumni is Edwards Stimpson who invented the stimp meter.
13. Howard
#190 ranked team, 2 wins and 4 Top 3’s in 11 events played. Won the NEC Championship. Lead by Francisco Perez (#768 ranked player, 1 win at the Colin Montgomery HCU Invitational, 73.2 scoring average). Their most famous golf alumni is Gregory Howell Jr.
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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Around 9:20, Saturday morning deputies with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home on the 500 block of Hillwood Circle reportedly for a deceased 3-month-old infant who may have been attacked by a dog inside the home.
Upon arrival, deputies located the infant dead inside. The baby, 3 month-old Zamora Robinson was pronounced dead by the Richmond County Coroner at 11:00 am.
Investigators said they secured the scene, and all occupants were safely removed from the home.
The Coroner said that Zamora was attacked by a Cane Corso. It was removed from the residence by Animal Services as part of the investigation.
The investigation remains active and ongoing as investigators continue conducting interviews and gathering additional information.
No further details are available at this time.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A three-month-old child has died Saturday morning after an alleged dog attack inside a home, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said they were called to a residence in the 500 block of Hillwood Circle around 9:21 a.m., after receiving a report of a deceased infant who may have been attacked by a dog.
When deputies arrived, they found the infant, Zamora Robinson, dead inside the home. Officials said the scene was secured, and everyone inside the residence was safely removed.
Authorities say a Cane Corso was removed from the residence by Animal Services as part of the investigation.
According to the Richmond County Coroner’s Office, Zamora was pronounced dead at 11:00 a.m. An autopsy has been scheduled.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active and ongoing. Investigators are continuing to conduct interviews and gather more information.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Construction in downtown Augusta is speeding up thanks to an accelerated timeline approved by commissioners.
With more of Broad Street torn up, parking is increasingly scarce. In less than a week, crews will start work on the inside lanes between 6th and 7th streets, temporarily removing the parking well.
Businesses say they remain in the dark about the project even with the accelerated timeline. They see more of the area becoming a construction site instead of a welcoming downtown.
Ongoing construction impacts businesses
Tonya Boswell, owner of Urban K-9, said construction has been constant.
“I don’t think there’s been a period where there wasn’t construction. We had the Fifth Street Bridge, then it was Fifth Street three times, and then now it’s in front of us,” Boswell said.
Sarah Bunjevac, owner of Halo Salon & Spa, has been downtown for two decades.
“I love the downtown community, and I’m very excited to continue to see it grow and evolve,” Bunjevac said.
But the day-to-day reality is harder to navigate for some.
“We’re hoping for a better Augusta. I mean, in the end, that’s what everybody’s hoping for. The process to get there, though, is kinda chaotic,” Boswell said.
Communication concerns
Bunjevac said business owners need better communication from city officials.
“I think as a local business owner and someone in the community downtown that wants to see it grow, wants to see it thrive, we’ve been down here for two decades, I really just need the support from the PR group, from the city, letting me know how to prepare for the changes and how to be productive during those changes,” Bunjevac said.
While the work continues on Broad Street, business owners say their job is keeping the doors open.
Project timeline
Leaders expect the project to finish by mid-December.
Work from 6th to 5th streets should start in three weeks, on June 26. In mid-July, crews will start on the outside lanes of 7th to 6th. That will happen at the same time as work on the inside lanes.
Parking is available at the Augusta Museum of History at Reynolds and 6th streets, but there are certain times that will be closed as well.
The Augusta Museum of History parking lot at 560 Reynolds Street will be open to the public throughout June, except during the following restricted dates and times:
- June 5, 2026 — 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- June 6, 2026 — 5:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.
- June 10, 2026 — 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- June 11, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- June 20, 2026 — 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- June 25, 2026 — 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- June 26, 2026 — 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- June 27, 2026 — 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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