SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Existing Texas veterans lost the name of the 2019 NCAA after bad weather forecasts boosted championship game start times shortly after dawn.
The Longhorns are back in the naming game, and this time they don’t have to worry about tornadoes. This year’s tournament will be held in the desert, not Arkansas.
Texas beat Vanderbilt 3 1/2-1 1/2 on Tuesday to earn a spot in the championship game against Arizona State, giving its seniors a moment to win a national title.
Pierceson Coody and Travis Vick finished their games second apart at Grayhawk Golf Club, sending the Longhorns into championship play for the third time in six years. Arizona State beat national protective champion Pepperdine 4-1 when Preston Summerhays made a birdie on the 18th hole to his Game 2.
“You wonder if the weather has the 2019 national championship,” Texas coach John Fields said. “Whether that’s the case or not, it doesn’t matter because we have a chance to play. That’s what those guys dream of.
It has been a wait.
Texas lost the 2019 name to Stanford in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where departure times were highest to avoid tornadoes imaginable in the afternoon. The 2020 tournament was eliminated due to the pandemic and the Longhorns never seemed to place their position in 2021.
Led by seniors Cole Hammer and twins Pierceson and Parker Moody, Texas has been one of the groups in the country all season, but has felt tension along the way, from the regionals to the top 15 and top 8 at the NCAA championships.
Getting to the quarterfinals to get rid of that weight a little bit.
Texas beat Oklahoma State 3-2 in the quarterfinals and played 4 close games against Vanderbilt heading to the back at Grayhawk’s Raptor Course.
Cole Hammer defeated Vandy rookie Gordon Sargent, who won the NCAA singles title on Monday and 3 to give Texas the first point of the moment in the semifinal.
William Moll of Vandy then closed out his Game 1 with a bogey at No. 18 when Parker Coody couldn’t get in and out of a bunker on the edge of the green.
Vick opened with birdies to win the first two holes against Reid Davenport and the third after a birdie on the 12-par-four hole. He finished the fourth and third games with a birdie on the 15-par four hole.
Coody took a 2-point lead over Cole Sherwood with a birdie on the par-1 and won and won and 3 with a par on the par-3 court 16.
“What I’ve noticed is that they’ve broken free, they enjoy what they’re doing here,” Fields said. “I’m proud of the fact that they’ve worked so hard to get here, but at the same time, they appreciate it. “
Such are the demons of the sun.
Arizona State lost to Oklahoma in the semifinals as the most sensible seed a year ago and turned the second-seeded Sooners around to win 3-2 in the morning quarterfinals.
The Sun Devils led Pepperdine in 3 early in the afternoon semifinals, let the Waves come back and closed in style.
“I’m just satisfied that our guys have the ability to hit the big shots in the big moments, to never give up,” Arizona State coach Matt Thurmond said. “Today was a pretty exciting finish. “
Mason Andersen closed Dylan Menante 1 in 19 holes for Arizona State’s first point after beating Patrick Welch 1 of Oklahoma in the quarterfinals. David Puig then Joey Vrzich 2 and 1 with a birdie of two putts after leading the par 4 short 17.
Summerhays defeated Haskins Prize winner Chris Gotterup, seventh and fifth in the quarterfinals and took a 5-hole lead over Joe Highsmith on 10 holes. No. 17 to let pass 1.
Summerhays, whose father and great-uncle played on the PGA Tour, connected on his shot on the par-4 from 520 yards from five feet and sank the putt to win 2 and secure Arizona State’s place in the finals.
“We’re a very smart team and we’ve been in this all year,” Summerhays said. “Being in this position, I don’t think it’s a wonder for us. We worked for that and hoped to be here. “
Pepperdine beat North Carolina’s quarterfinals 3-2 and Vanderbilt beat Texas Tech by the same score.
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