Auburn men’s golf advances to national championship

The winning tradition continues for Auburn men’s golf. For the fifth consecutive year, the Tigers have secured their spot to compete for a national championship.

Advancing from Athens

Auburn clinched its ticket to the big stage on Wednesday after a successful performance at the Athens Regional. The Tigers finished in third place, successfully moving on alongside Vanderbilt, Georgia, BYU, and Louisville.

Coach and Player Perspective

Reflecting on the grueling week, head coach Nick Clinard acknowledged the team's resilience in a release. "What a long week," Clinard said. "The front nine was a disaster every day, just call it what it is, but on the back nine, we played some real good golf. They made some birdies when it mattered and they got the job done."

The Tigers finished the regional with a collective score of -22, including an impressive -8 push during the third round. Josiah Gilbert paced the Auburn squad with an individual score of -11, tying him for fourth place overall. Meanwhile, team standout Jackson Koivun battled through illness to finish at -6, good for a tie for 10th place.

"I just didn’t have my best stuff this week, but we’re happy to squeak on in there and get to nationals. At the end of the day, that’s the goal," Koivun noted. "Having a ticket booked to LaCosta feels real good."

Looking Ahead to Nationals

Auburn, which claimed the national title in 2024, is now set to contend for its second championship in three years. The national championship tournament is scheduled to take place at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, running from May 29 through June 3. For more coverage, keep checking 205focus.com.