ASU, Texas to face off in men’s golf championship

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Texas’ present seniors misplaced the 2019 NCAA title after predictions of extreme climate pushed up the championship match tee instances to simply after daybreak.

The Longhorns are again within the title match, and this time they do not have to fret about tornadoes. This yr’s event is within the desert, not Arkansas.

Texas beat Vanderbilt 3½-1½ on Tuesday to earn a spot within the championship match towards Arizona State, giving its seniors a second shot at profitable a nationwide title.

Pierceson Coody and Travis Vick closed out their matches seconds aside at Grayhawk Golf Membership, sending the Longhorns to the championship match for the third time in six years. Arizona State beat reigning nationwide champion Pepperdine 4-1 when Preston Summerhays birdied the 18th gap to shut out his match 2 up.

“It is debatable whether or not climate determined the 2019 nationwide championship,” Texas coach John Fields mentioned. “Whether or not it did or did not would not matter as a result of we have got an opportunity to play. That is what these guys dream of. That is the place they wish to be.” ,

It has been an extended wait.

Texas misplaced the 2019 title match to Stanford in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the place tee instances had been moved as much as keep away from potential tornadoes within the afternoon. The 2020 event was worn out as a result of pandemic and the Longhorns by no means appeared to seek out their footing in 2021.

Led by seniors Cole Hammer and twins Pierceson and Parker Moody, Texas was one of many nation’s greatest groups all season, however felt stress alongside the best way — from regionals to prime 15 and prime eight on the NCAA championships.

Reaching the quarterfinals appeared to remove a few of that weight.

Texas beat Oklahoma State 3-2 within the quarterfinals and had 4 shut matches towards Vanderbilt heading to the again 9 at Grayhawk’s Raptor Course.

Cole Hammer beat Vandy freshman Gordon Sargent, who received the NCAA particular person title on Monday, 4 and three to provide Texas the primary level within the second semifinal.

Vandy’s William Moll then closed out his match 1 up with a bogey on No. 18 when Parker Coody could not rise up and down from a greenside bunker.

Vick opened with birdies to win the primary two holes towards Reid Davenport and was 3 up after a birdie on the par-4 twelfth. He completed off the match 4 and three with a birdie on the par-4 fifteenth.

Coody took a 2 up lead on Cole Sherwood with a birdie on the par-4 14th and received 4 and three with a par on the brief par-3 sixteenth.

“What I’ve observed is that they’ve freed up, they’re having fun with what they’re doing right here,” Fields mentioned. “I am notably happy with the truth that they labored so laborious to get right here, however on the identical time they’re having fun with it.”

So are the Solar Devils.

Arizona State misplaced to Oklahoma within the semifinals as the highest seed a yr in the past and turned the tables on the second-seeded Sooners to win 3-2 within the morning quarterfinals.

The Solar Devils led Pepperdine huge in three matches early within the afternoon semifinals, let the Waves creep again in and closed with a flourish.

“I am simply completely satisfied that our guys have it within them to hit the massive photographs within the huge moments, to by no means hand over.” Arizona State coach Matt Thurmond mentioned. “It was a fairly thrilling end at present.”

Mason Andersen closed out Dylan Menante 1 up in 19 holes for Arizona State’s first level after beating Oklahoma’s Patrick Welch 1 up within the quarterfinals. David Puig then completed off Joey Vrzich 2 and 1 with a two-putt birdie after driving the brief par-4 seventeenth.

Summerhays routed Haskins Award winner Chris Gotterup 7 and 5 in quarterfinals and went 5 up on Joe Highsmith by 10 holes. Highsmith received 5 of six holes to tie it on No. 16, however the Arizona State freshman birdied No. 17 to go 1 up.

Summerhays, whose father and nice uncle performed on the PGA Tour, hit his strategy shot on the 520-yard par-4 to 5 toes and sank the putt to win 2 up and clinch Arizona State’s spot within the finals.

“We’re a extremely good group and we have been envisioning this all yr,” Summerhays mentioned. “To be on this place, I do not suppose is a shock to us. We labored for this and anticipated to be right here.”

Pepperdine beat North Carolina 3-2 quarterfinals and Vanderbilt beat Texas Tech by the identical rating.