Vanderbilt Men’s Golf Finishes 25th at NCAA Championship 5/29/03

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Vanderbilt men’s golf team completed the best season in school history Thursday when the Commodores finished the third round in 25th place and missed the cut at the NCAA Championships in Stillwater, Okla. The 72-hole tournament, which is being played at the Karsten Creek course (Par 72, 7,301 yards), continues Friday with the top-18 teams gunning for the national title.

On the strength of three rounds of 73, Vanderbilt began on hole No. 1 Thursday and shot the ninth-best round of the Championship so far, carding a nine-over-par score of 297 in round three. The Commodores’ three-round combined score of 66-over-par 930 left Vanderbilt in 25th place in the 30-team field and 42 shots out of the lead. More importantly, VU finished 11 shots out of 18th place, which was where the cut was made for the fourth and final round of the NCAA Championships.

Vanderbilt also had none of its five team members make the cut as an individual. The top finisher for the Commodores was senior Brandt Snedeker, who completed his final collegiate tournament tied for 40th place with a 12-over-par score of 228. Snedeker, who is wrapping up the best individual career in school history, fired a one-over-par 73 in the third round. He made the turn at even-par and was headed for an even-par score before posting a bogey on the 18th hole.

Second for the Commodores was sophomore Mark Donnell, who finished the Championship tied for 65th place with a 15-over-par score of 231. The native of Mobile, Ala., made his turn at one-under, but three bogeys to just one birdie in the final nine caused his third-round score to jump to one-over-par 73.

Vanderbilt’s final score of 73 in the third round came from the Commodores’ third-place finisher Lance Goodson. Goodson, a sophomore from Birmingham, Ala., made the turn in the third round at one-under, but shot two-over on the back nine. He finished the Championship tied for 98th place with a 20-over-par score of 236.

Next for the Commodores was senior Craig Dunlap, who finished the Championship tied for 111th place with a 23-over-par score of 239. He was followed by sophomore Ben McClung, who finished the Championship tied for 139th place with a 33-over-par score of 249.

Complete results available at www.golfstat.com

Teams
1. Clemson 299-302-287=888 +24 
2. Oklahoma State 299-300-290=889 +25 
3. UCLA 303-295-301=899 +35 
Florida 302-300-297=899 +35 
5. Wake Forest 304-306-290=900 +36 
6. Auburn 299-303-301=903 +39 
7. UNLV 313-300-295=908 +44 
8. Southern California 300-311-298=909 +45 
9. Augusta State 311-306-294=911 +47 
Arizona State 306-308-297=911 +47 
11. North Carolina State 299-317-296=912 +48 
12. North Carolina 308-308-299=915 +51 
Washington 314-300-301=915 +51 
14. Wichita State 308-309-299=916 +52 
15. Georgia Tech 310-306-302=918 +54 
Georgia 315-306-297=918 +54 
Arizona 307-308-303=918 +54 
18. Texas 306-314-299=919 +55 

MISSED THE CUT
19. Duke 300-326-294=920 +56 
Minnesota 305-309-306=920 +56 
21. Illinois 304-320-297=921 +57 
22. Oregon 323-300-301=924 +60 
23. Tennessee 320-310-295=925 +61 
24. New Mexico 309-314-305=928 +64 
25. Vanderbilt 320-313-297=930 +66 
26. Kentucky 309-323-310=942 +78 
27. Arkansas 314-326-307=947 +83 
28. SMU 316-319-318=953 +89 
29. South Carolina 313-331-311=955 +91 
30. San Diego State 323-327-315=965 +101

Vanderbilt’s Individuals
T40. Brandt Snedeker 81-74-73=228 +12
T65. Mark Donnell 81-77-73=231 +15
T98. Lance Goodson 79-84-73=236 +20
T111. Craig Dunlap 83-78-78=239 +23
T139. Ben McClung 79-89-81=249 +33

Day 2

Vanderbilt Men's Golf 26th After Second Round at NCAA Championship 5/28/03

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Vanderbilt men's golf team climbed one spot to 26th place after the second round at the NCAA Championships in Stillwater, Okla. The 72-hole tournament, which is being played at the Karsten Creek course (Par 72, 7,301 yards), continues Thursday with the third of four rounds.

Vanderbilt, which shot a 320 in the first round, began on hole No. 1 Wednesday and finished the second round in 26th place in the 30-team field with a 25-over-par score of 313. Vanderbilt, playing in the NCAA Championship for the first time in school history, enters the third round 10 shots out of the top 20 and 35 shots behind tournament leader UCLA.

Individually, senior Brandt Snedeker catapulted from 106th place Tuesday to a tie for 54th place after firing a two-over-par score of 74 in the second round. Snedeker, who is playing in his second consecutive NCAA Championship, enters the third round with a combined score of 11-over-par 155.

Sophomore Mark Donnell shot a 77 Wednesday to finish the second round tied for 84th place with a 14-over-par score of 158. In Donnell's second round, he made the turn at five-over, but then played even-par golf on the back nine.

Senior Craig Dunlap was next for Vanderbilt as he shot a 78 Wednesday to finish the second day tied for 111th place with a 17-over-par score of 161. Sophomore Lance Goodson followed closely as he posted an 84 Wednesday to finish the second round tied for 122nd place with a 19-over-par score of 163.

Rounding out the Commodore squad was sophomore Ben McClung. McClung shot an 89 Wednesday to enter the third round in 144th place with a 24-over-par score of 168.

The Commodores have the first tee time off hole No. 1 Thursday morning and will get the third round started at 7 a.m. Central.

Day 1

Vanderbilt Men's Golf 27th After First Round at NCAA Championship 5/27/03

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Vanderbilt men's golf team is tied for 27th place after the first round at the NCAA Championships in Stillwater, Okla.
The 72-hole tournament, which is being played at the Karsten Creek course (Par 72, 7,301 yards), continues Wednesday with the second of four rounds.

Vanderbilt began on hole No. 10 Tuesday and finished the first day tied for 27th in the 30-team field with a 32-over-par score of 320. Vanderbilt, playing in the NCAA Championship for the first time in school history, enters the second round nine shots out of the top-20 and just 21 shots out of the lead.

Individually, sophomores Lance Goodson and Ben McClung both finished tied for 87th place after shooting rounds of seven-over-par 79 to lead Vanderbilt after the first day. Goodson, who led the Commodores with his tie for seventh at the NCAA East Regional, made the turn at one-over before registering three bogeys and a triple bogey in the final nine holes.

McClung also made the turn at one-over and actually had climbed back to even par with a birdie on his 11th hole. However, three bogeys and two double bogeys in the final seven holes dropped McClung to seven-over-par for the first 18 holes.

Next for Vanderbilt and in a tie for 106th place with nine-over-par scores of 81 were senior Brandt Snedeker and sophomore Mark Donnell. Snedeker, who is playing in his second consecutive NCAA Championship, was six-over in his first nine holes, including a quadruple bogey on his eighth hole. He went on to finish the back nine three-over for a nine-over-par first round.

Donnell made the turn at two-over and looked to be putting together Vanderbilt's best round as he was just three-over through 12 holes. But a birdie on the final hole could not make up for three double bogeys on the back that sent Donnell to his score of nine-over-par.

Rounding out the Vanderbilt squad was senior Craig Dunlap, who finished the first day tied for 125th place with an 11-over-par score of 83. Dunlap put together a relatively balanced first round as he carded four bogeys and a double bogey in his first nine holes and then came back with three bogeys and a double bogey on the back nine.

Teams
T1. Oklahoma State 299 +11
T1. North Carolina State 299 +11
T1. Clemson 299 +11
T1. Auburn 299 +11
T5. Southern California 300 +12
T5. Duke 300 +12
7. Florida 302 +14
8. UCLA 303 +15
T9. Wake Forest 304 +16
T9. Illinois 304 +16
11. Minnesota 305 +17
T12. Arizona State 306 +18
T12. Texas 306 +18
14. Arizona 307 +19
T15. Wichita State 308 +20
T15. North Carolina 308 +20
T17. Kentucky 309 +21
T17. New Mexico 309 +21
19. Georgia Tech 310 +22
20. Augusta State 311 +23
T21. UNLV 313 +25
T21. South Carolina 313 +25
T23. Arkansas 314 +26
T23. Washington 314 +26
25. Georgia 315 +27
26. SMU 316 +28
T27. Vanderbilt 320 +32
T27. Tennessee 320 +32
T29. San Diego State 323 +35
T29. Oregon 323 +35

Vanderbilt's Individuals
T87. Lance Goodson 79 +7
T87. Ben McClung 79 +7
T106. Brandt Snedeker 81 +9
T106. Mark Donnell 81 +9
T125. Craig Dunlap 83 +11