Auburn Men’s Golf Falls Short in SEC Championship Semifinals
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – The Auburn men’s golf team experienced a mix of highs and lows during the SEC Championship, securing a semi-final spot with a decisive 4-1 victory over No. 3 Texas but ultimately falling to No. 8 Florida in a 3-1-1 battle.
Head coach Nick Clinard expressed disappointment after the loss to Florida, noting that the team struggled with their pace and putting performance. “We played slow coming out of the gates. We had a poor putting day. The guys are obviously disappointed… but we shot 38-under in stroke play and won by nine. I think that shows that we’re the best team in the country,” Clinard remarked.
The quarterfinals highlighted standout performances, particularly from SEC Individual Champion Jackson Koivun, who put Auburn on the scoreboard with a 4-and-3 victory over Luke Potter. Sophomore Cayden Pope also made an impact, winning his first postseason match against Tommy Morrison 4-and-2. Josiah Gilbert secured the team’s final point against Christiaan Maas, clinching a spot in the semifinals with a one-up victory.
In the afternoon matchup against Florida, Auburn managed only one win, with senior Brendan Valdes defeating Matthew Kress 5-and-3. Gilbert tied his match, but the Gators seized the remaining points to eliminate the Tigers from title contention.
Despite the setback, Auburn remains optimistic as they await their next challenge. The NCAA Auburn Regional selection will take place on April 30 at 1 p.m. CT on the Golf Channel, where the Tigers hope to continue their competitive journey.
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