ORLANDO, Fla. – After 18 holes of play at the Isleworth Collegiate, No. 3 Auburn sits in first with a 12-stroke lead at 273 (-15) thanks to a trio of rounds in the 60s Sunday at Isleworth Country Club.
"I am really proud of how our group played today as a whole," Tigers head coach Nick Clinard said. "They played it smart when they had to, took risks when they became available and capitalized on every opportunity they were given. Today was a fantastic start, but it takes 54 holes to win in our game, so I am looking for us to keep playing at a consistent level over these next two days."
Competing in his home state, it was senior Alex Vogelsong proved to be the most deadly, carding a 66 (-6) to lead the 78-man field and tie his career low for a single round.
"I felt like I managed my game really well today," Vogelsong said. "I putted well and didn't make any costly mistakes. Proud of my teammates also. We played some great golf to put ourselves in a good spot for the rest of the week."
Vogelsong went bogeyless on the afternoon, picking up birdies on holes 1, 7, 8, 12, 17 and 18 to bring his season total to 17.
Another outstanding Tiger performance came by way of sophomore Brendan Valdes. Golfing just five minutes from where he attended high school, Valdes went 5-under for a 67 to open the tournament.
Valdes matched a single bogey with six birdies, including three in a row on holes 5, 6, and 7. The Orlando native sits tied for second headed into Monday's action after collecting his 14th career round in the 60s.
"I just got a 'make it rain' headcover," Valdes said. "Just trying to live up to it."
Auburn's third below-par score came from All-American J.M. Butler. The junior counter-attacked three bogeys with seven birdies to card a 68 (-4) and position himself tied for fifth. Following his performance, Butler moves up a spot in program record books, tying Will Long for the seventh-most career rounds in the 60s at 25.
Junior Carson Bacha was the final Tiger to contribute to the team scorecard as he shot even par on the day. Bacha made par 14 times and matched a pair of bogeys with birdies on holes 4 and 14. Junior Ryan Eshleman also carded a 77 (+5) in his opener.
For Monday's middle stanza, Auburn opens up at 8:40 a.m. CT with Eshleman on the first hole. The Tigers will play alongside Florida and UCF for the round.
| Placement | Golfer | R1 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Vogelsong | 66 (-6) | 66 (-6) |
| T2 | Brendan Valdes | 67 (-5) | 67 (-5) |
| T5 | J.M. Butler | 68 (-4) | 68 (-4) |
| T17 | Carson Bacha | 72 (E) | 72 (E) |
| T50 | Ryan Eshleman | 77 (+5) | 77 (+5) |
| 1 | TEAM | 273 (-15) | 273 (-15) |