ATLANTA – The No. 1 Auburn men’s golf team faced a familiar foe Wednesday afternoon in the East Lake Cup Championship match and defeated No. 3 Oklahoma State in dominating fashion, 4-1, at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
“I’m proud of how tough this team is and how focused they were today,” head coach Nick Clinard said. “The energy was really high this week, which was really important when you’re playing really good teams like we were. We played some really great golf when it mattered and got the win against one of the best programs in the country in Oklahoma State.”
The Tigers found their points from seniors Josiah Gilbert and Cayden Pope, junior Billy Davis and sophomore Logan Reilly.
After the Cowboys took the first match up of the day (two-up), Gilbert the Tigers on the board with a 4&3 victory over Gaven Lane in a match that he held command of all day. Gilbert went one-up on the first hole and never wavered, going to the 15th with a four-up advantage. The Millbrook, Alabama product equaled his opponent’s par to take the match.
Reilly had a big win for the Tigers in the fourth spot, defeating the top amateur in the world in Oklahoma State’s Preston Stout in a made-for-tv contest. After going behind early, the Lovettsville, Virginia product kept with it and took hole Nos. 8, 10 and 11 to go two up. He won No. 13 to take a three-up advantage and matched Stout’s pars on 15 and 16 to extend his match-play winning streak to seven as a Tiger.
“It’s hard to beat Preston (Stout), but Logan was playing some really great golf himself,” Clinard said. “Logan hit big putts throughout the match to put Stout under pressure and came out on top. He really thrives in this environment and it showed today.
“I just kept playing my game,” Reilly said. “I just wanted to keep myself in the fairway to give myself a chance to win holes and I did that today. Made some good putts and was able to get the win.”
Davis held the lead in his match throughout most of the day before Oklahoma State’s Eric Lee made a push to tie the match up on the 18th. The pair moved on to the 15th, a par three, to go into extra holes. Lee sent his tee shot into the water before Davis landed his on the green. Davis needed just two putts to win the match and did just that, sealing the team’s third and deciding point.
“I had done well on the hole already today, so I took the same club I hit before and got the ball close enough to give myself a chance to win the hole,” Davis said.
Pope, in the anchor spot, took another win for the Tigers to give Auburn its fourth point. The Lexington, Kentucky native went up on the fourth hole and didn’t look back, taking the victory 4&2.
The East Lake Cup win was the third in program history – 2018, 2024, 2026.
Auburn returns to action this weekend, traveling to Loxley, Alabama for the Steelwood Collegiate, Oct. 31-Nov. 1. The two-day, three-round tournament will be held at the Steelwood Country Club.
EAST LAKE CUP – MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson (OKST) def. Jake Albert (AU), 2&1
Billy Davis (AU) def. Eric Lee (OKST), 19 holes
Josiah Gilbert (AU) def. Gaven Lane (OKST), 4&3
Logan Reilly (AU) def. Preston Stout (OKST), 3&2
Cayden Pope (AU) def. John Wild (OKST), 4&2
No. 1 Auburn defeats No. 3 Oklahoma State to win East Lake Cup
The No. 1 Auburn men’s golf team faced a familiar foe Wednesday afternoon in the East Lake Cup Championship match and defeated No. 3 Oklahoma State in dominating fashion, 4-1, at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
