INDIO, Calif. – Ryan Eshleman of the Auburn men's golf team earned the seventh top-10 finish of his collegiate career Wednesday at The Prestige Individual at Terra Lago, headlining the foursome of individuals representing the Tigers at the tournament.
Eshleman finished the week at 214 (-2) and placed tied for sixth overall. He shot 70-73-71.
Freshman Josiah Gilbert landed inside the top 20 with an even-par 216 performance. Fifth year Alex Vogelsong placed tied for 29th at 2-over 218, and graduate student Hal Dove shot 10-over 226 to earn 43rd.
Eshleman started hot as the group's lowest man in the opening round. He made an early bogey on 2 but that was his only blemish of the day. He made birdie on 3, 11 and 13 to shoot 2-under 70.
Gilbert made a pair of bogeys in Monday's 18, but immediately erased them with birdies on the following holes, 5 and 12. He also birdied 8. The rookie from Queensland, Australia finished the day's action at 1-under 71.
Vogelsong and Dove both shot above par in their first rounds, carding a respective 74 (+2) and 77 (+5).
On Tuesday, Gilbert provided the best round by a Tiger with a 4-under 68. He started strong, making birdie on 2, 4 and 5 to shoot 33 on the front nine. On the home stretch, he bookended a bogey on 11 with birdies on 10 and 12.
Vogelsong kept himself within striking distance through 36 holes with an even-par 72 in his middle round. The Palm City, Florida product fought off two doubles and a bogey on 9 with five birdies on holes 1, 8, 13, 14 and 17. With his opening birdie on the first hole, Vogelsong became the fifth man in program history to join the 450 career birdies club. Teammate J.M. Butler is also a member of the club.
Also in round two, Eshleman shot 73 (+1) while Dove shot 77 (+5) for a second consecutive day.
On the final day, it was Eshleman who provided the highlight round. The redshirt-junior battled in a back-and-forth front nine but found his footing on the back half to shoot a clean 33. He birdied 2, 10, 12, and 17.
Eshleman finished the Prestige Individual with 11 total birdies.
Dove saved his best round for last, shooting an even 72 on Wednesday. He found birdies on 4, 12 and 16. Vogelsong concluded his stay in California with a 74 (+2). The veteran led Auburn's foursome with 12 birdies made over the 54 holes.
Gilbert shot 77 (+5) Wednesday. He finished with 10 birdies.
Up next, four more individuals, Dove, Gilbert, Vogelsong and Cayden Pope, head to the Wolfpack Individual at Lonnie Poole Golf Club in Raleigh, North Carolina for another non-team contest Feb. 24-25. No. 2 Auburn's next team tournament also begins this weekend, Feb. 25-27, on the opposite side of the country with the Southern Highlands Collegiate at Southern Highlands Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada.
