CARLSBAD, Calif. – Both the quarterfinals and semifinals took place earlier on Tuesday, as the final eight teams in the field competed to move on. Five players on each team face off against their opponent in match play format, where each hole is decided by who has the better score.
The quarterfinals took no time before heating up as No. 7 Virginia stunned the defending champs, No. 2 Auburn. Although the Tigers took the first two matches, the Cavaliers turned the table quickly by taking the final three matches.
“I’m proud of this team and I’m proud of these seniors,” said Auburn head coach Nick Clinard. “Today was not the result we wanted, but we’re still proud of who we are and what we’ve accomplished.”
Virginia senior Paul Chang and junior Bryan Lee sealed the deal with two dominant performances against Auburn senior Brendan Valdes and sophomore Josiah Gilbert. Neither match made it to hole 16, since both players led by four holes or more.
No. 3 Florida and No. 6 Texas came down to the final putt, where senior Ian Gilligan took down junior Christian Maas to send the Gators into the semifinal round.
The battle between both Oklahoma schools didn’t take long to wrap up, as No. 4 Oklahoma State took the first three matches.
The final match of the quarterfinals came down to the wire, where both No. 1 Arizona State and No. 8 Ole Miss refused to quit. The rebels just came off a stressful afternoon, barely sneaking into the cut by one stroke of No. 9 Florida State.
Ole Miss junior Michael La Sasso made par at the final hole on Monday, securing the individual champion and eliminating FSU from matchplay. However, their fight did not end there.
Despite being the last team to make it in, the Rebels found themselves winning two of the first four matches, including a dominant win from La Sasso and a much-needed win against ASU senior Josele Ballester.
This put all the pressure on the final match of the round.
Arizona State junior Michael Mjaaseth and Ole Miss junior Tom Fischer seemed to be lopsided for the majority of the round. Mjaaseth led by as many as four holes, as well as a three hole lead with just five to play.
However Fischer went on a strong run to force a playoff hole to decide the winner. Both players stayed consistent, shooting birdie on hole seven and par on eight. This would include a chip-in from Fischer to extend the match once more.
Coming onto the ninth tee box, someone was bound to win. Although Fischer had not led for the entire round at this point, he took the lead when it mattered most.
Fischer made par, while Mjaaseth settled for bogey, bringing the 21-hole match to an end. This sent Ole Miss into the semifinals, while both top seeds in the bracket were left on the outside looking in. Both the Sun Devils and Tigers were sent home, despite sitting at the top of the leaderboard all weekend.
“I am really proud of our guys,” said Arizona State head coach Matt Thurmond. “I am disappointed they can’t keep playing, because they deserve to…You just don’t know. Sports don’t work that way.”
Later in the afternoon, the final four teams teed it up once more to fight for a spot in the national championship match.
The Cavaliers dominated the Gators, defeating them 4-1. Virginia junior Ben James secured the final hole of his match against Florida redshirt sophomore Luke Poulter with a bunker shot that sat right next to the hole. This result gave Virginia a 3-0 advantage, allowing the other two rounds to end early.
“I played 18 perfectly, hit a great drive and missed it in the right spot in the bunker and hit a great bunker shot,” James said. “I stayed really composed.”
Ole Miss and Oklahoma State rounded out the evening by fighting for the final spot in the championship. The Rebels found themselves in yet another tight match, as the Pokes went back and forth in each match.
Both top players of each team faced off against each other, but didn’t quite live up to the hype. OSU sophomore Preston Stout approached the turn and never looked back as La Sasso fell behind. Stout led by five holes, concluding the match after hole 14.
The final match between the two teams stayed close throughout its entirety. The largest lead of the round was by two from Ole Miss junior Cohen Trolio. However, that lead was erased by OSU sophomore Eric Lee as the match was all square heading into hole 15.
Three pars were made by the competitors, as hole 18 arrived. The 557 yard par-5 allows for players to get on the green in two shots with a good drive and approach shot. Trolio’s second shot veered off to the right, landing on the cart path right around the green. Lee took advantage of this opportunity, sticking his approach shot to six feet from over 230 yards.
Trolio’s response showed his character by chipping to within a few feet. Lee went on to miss his eagle putt and Trolio extended the match by making his birdie putt.
As the players went back to hole 16, all friends and family gathered around the green. The par-3 over water is a gutsy tee shot that could go downhill instantly. Both players put their ball in the back left of the green with equally lengthy putts.
Trolio didn’t give his putt enough power, leaving it about five feet short. This led to him missing his par putt, with the match in the hands of lee.
With just a few feet uphill, he put the ball in the back of the cup to send the Pokes to the final round.
“It’s a great feeling, especially to do it on this par-3,” Lee said. “To be able to send my team to the finals on this hole means a lot. It gives me a lot of confidence going into tomorrow.”
No. 4 Oklahoma State and No. 7 Virginia will meet in the national championship match on Wednesday, at 2:25 p.m.
