WAIKOLOA, Hawaii – The top-ranked Auburn men's golf team finished its weekend at the Amer Ari Invitational with a third-place finish following a 15-under round in Saturday's finale at Mauna Lani Golf Club.
For the second time this season, the Tigers set a new school record for team tournament score. Auburn's cumulative total of 58-under 806 tops the previous best of 56-under set last fall at the Mirabel Maui Jim Intercollegiate.
"I'm very proud of our level of play this week," head coach Nick Clinard said. "We hung in there and competed with some elite-level competitors. It's the best performance we've had in a spring opener in quite some time, which is a great sign of what's to come for this team. We'll head home proud of our body of work but hungry to be even stronger the next time we step out there."
Thanks to a final day 69 (-3), freshman Jackson Koivun led the Orange & Blue charge with a 17-under performance, which matched the school record for 54 holes. It marks the second time this season that Koivun has matched the record. He finished tied for fourth.
Junior Brendan Valdes pieced together an immaculate 65 (-7) in his third round to earn tied for eighth on the leaderboard at 15-under for the weekend. Valdes set a new career low by three shots.
"I hit the ball very well this week," Valdes said. "The course was set up fairly easy, which is why scores were so low, but nonetheless, it was fun to compete alongside such talented opponents. I'm thankful to be taking away a great experience with my teammates."
Sophomore Reed Lotter wrapped up just outside the top 20. He earned a 71 (-1) Saturday to hold strong at 12-under overall. Fifth year Alex Vogelsong repeated his performance from the previous day and delivered another 69 (-3). Vogelsong's three-round tally was 10-under 206.
Redshirt-junior Carson Bacha shot 70 (-2) in the final round. His final score for the tournament was 208 (-8). Freshman individual player Cayden Pope saved his best for last, shooting a 69 (-3) Saturday to cut his total down to 210 (-6).
Auburn began the tournament in fifth, shooting 272 (-16) Thursday. Koivun was the lineup's low man with a 67 (-5) on his scorecard. Vogelsong and Lotter contributed to the team tally with a pair of 68s (-4). Valdes shot 69 (-3) and Bacha finished with a 72 (E). Pope made his spring debut at 70 (-2), but as the individual player, his round did not count for the team.
On day two, the Tigers roared up the leaderboard thanks to a massive 27-under 261 showing. All five team players recorded a round in the 60s to pave the way for the surge. Koivun was once again Auburn's low man with a career-best 63 (-9). He matched a single bogey with eight birdies and an eagle on 15.
Lotter delivered a jaw-dropping 65 (-7) to further improve the Orange & Blue's standing. Like Koivun, Lotter had just one blemish on his Friday scorecard with a bogey on 16 but more than made up for it with six birdies and an eagle of his own on 13. He now leads the Tigers with four eagles this season.
All five men in the lineup made eagle in round two. Bacha, Valdes and Vogelsong all found theirs on the seventh hole. Bacha recorded a season-best 66 (-6) for the full 18. The York, Pennsylvania product played his round unblemished with birdies on 3, 10, 13 and 15. Valdes shot 67 (-5) and Vogelsong shot 69 (-3).
Friday's round also marked the second time this season the Tigers have set the school record for 18-hole team score. Auburn opened the 2023 fall season with a 24-under first round at the Mirabel Maui Jim Intercollegiate.
In the third and final set of 18, Auburn found just enough to hold onto a top-three showing. Valdes was the day's hero with a bogeyless 65 (-7). The Orlando, Florida native made birdie on 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13 and 16.
The Tigers capitalized on two more sub-70 rounds from Koivun and Vogelsong, each of whom carded 69s. Both men matched a pair of back-to-back bogeys with five birdies. Pope's final round 69 (-3) consisted of a bogey on 18 and birdies on 2, 4, 10 and 15.
Statistically, Koivun and Valdes earned a share of the team's birdies lead with 17 apiece over the weekend. Vogelsong made 16. Koivun was also one of 12 men in the field with multiple eagles.
Arizona State's Wenyi Ding earned medalist honors at 27-under. He shot 63-64-62. No. 2 North Carolina snagged the team championship at 68-under for the week.
Auburn looks to continue its hot streak in two weeks at the Southern Highlands Collegiate. The tournament is set for Feb. 25-27 at Southern Highlands Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada.
No. 1 Auburn finishes third at Amer Ari behind program record 58-under performance
