ST SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Thanks to the lowest opening round in Southeastern Conference Championship history, a masterful 16-under-par, No. 2 Auburn positioned itself on top of the leaderboard and seven strokes clear of second place during Wednesday’s first round of the 2025 SEC Championship.
“Our state of mind today was excellent, and because of that, we played some good golf,” head coach Nick Clinard said. “We just need to stay where our feet are and keep competing and believing in each other.”
Auburn’s 264 (-16) goes down as the second-lowest round ever in the history of the tournament and is the best since LSU went 17-under in 2014.
Sophomore Josiah Gilbert led the charge with a 6-under in his return to Sea Island. Gilbert shot 4-under on the front with five pars and four birdies on 2, 3, 6 and 9. His lone bogey came on 13, but he added three more birdies on 11, 12 and 15 for the 64.
“Felt like I played really solid,” Gilbert said. “I kept the ball in front of me all day. I only made one bad mistake, which is what I’ve been working on, so it felt good to execute what I wanted. I’m ready to get after it tomorrow.”
Gilbert trails the individual leader, Texas A&M’s Michael Heidelbaugh, by three.
In his SEC Championship debut, sophomore Cayden Pope dug in and delivered a clean, 5-under 65. He birdied 6, 7, 8, 10 and 17. Pope was one of just six players to remain bogey-free on the day.
The reigning SEC Individual Champion, sophomore Jackson Koivun, finished two back of Pope at 3-under 67. Koivun birdied 2, 9, 15 and 16. He’s now 15-under through his previous four rounds at Seaside Golf Club.
Seniors Brendan Valdes and Carson Bacha finished with a 68 and 69, respectively. They both sit inside the top 25 players heading into Thursday.
Auburn tees off Thursday’s round two from the first hole at 7 a.m. CT in a pairing with No. 7 LSU and No. 17 Texas A&M. To advance to match play, the Tigers must stay in the top eight following Friday’s third round.