No. 1 Auburn shows fight in opening day of Valspar Collegiate

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No. 1 Auburn shows fight in opening day of Valspar Collegiate

The Valspar Collegiate Invitational, held at the Floridian National Golf Club in Palm City, Florida, commenced on March 24, 2025, featuring a highly competitive field of 17 teams, including 11 ranked within the top 25 nationally. The No. 1 ranked Auburn Tigers faced initial challenges but demonstrated resilience to position themselves competitively for the final round.​Auburn Tigers Athletics+5University of Texas Athletics+5Wake Forest University Athletics+5

Tournament Overview

The Valspar Collegiate is a prestigious 54-hole event hosted at The Floridian, a par-71 course measuring 6,943 yards. The tournament format includes 36 holes played on the opening day, followed by a final 18-hole round. The 2025 field boasts top-tier programs such as No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Arizona State, No. 7 Oklahoma, and No. 8 North Carolina, underscoring the event’s competitive caliber. ​Amateur GolfUniversity of Oklahoma+1University of Tennessee Athletics+1

Auburn’s Performance

Auburn began the tournament with a 3-under-par 281 in the first round, placing them ninth on the leaderboard. Demonstrating determination, the Tigers improved significantly in the afternoon session, recording a 9-under-par 275. This effort elevated them to fourth place overall with a cumulative score of 12-under-par 556, just one stroke behind third-place Oklahoma and five strokes behind second-place Arizona State. ​University of Oklahoma+6Wake Forest University Athletics+6Amateur Golf+6

Individual Highlights

Sophomore Jackson Koivun led Auburn’s lineup, carding an impressive 7-under-par 64 in the first round, positioning him seventh individually. Senior Carson Bacha showcased remarkable resilience; after an opening round of 6-over-par 77, he rebounded with an outstanding 8-under-par 63 in the second round, marking a 14-stroke improvement. ​Auburn Tigers Athletics+1Amateur Golf+1

Leaderboard Standings After Day One

  1. Texas: 25-under-par 543​Amateur Golf+6University of Texas Athletics+6Augusta University+6

  2. Arizona State: 17-under-par 551​Wake Forest University Athletics+5University of Texas Athletics+5Amateur Golf+5

  3. Oklahoma: 13-under-par 555​University of Oklahoma+3University of Texas Athletics+3University of Tennessee Athletics+3

  4. Auburn: 12-under-par 556​University of Tennessee Athletics

  5. Florida State: 11-under-par 557​Auburn Tigers Athletics+7University of Texas Athletics+7University of Tennessee Athletics+7

  6. Duke: 11-under-par 557​University of Oklahoma+1Amateur Golf+1

  7. Texas A&M: 9-under-par 559​University of Oklahoma+3University of Tennessee Athletics+3Augusta University+3

  8. Vanderbilt: 8-under-par 560​University of Tennessee Athletics

  9. North Carolina: 6-under-par 562​University of Tennessee Athletics+1Augusta University+1

  10. Tennessee: 4-under-par 564​University of Tennessee Athletics+1Augusta University+1

  11. Arkansas: 2-under-par 566​Augusta University

  12. USF: 1-under-par 567​University of Tennessee Athletics

  13. Houston: Even-par 568​Wake Forest University Athletics+6Augusta University+6University of Oklahoma+6

  14. Texas Tech: 3-over-par 571​Golfstat+1Amateur Golf+1

  15. Wake Forest: 7-over-par 575​Wake Forest University Athletics

  16. Augusta: 13-over-par 581​University of Tennessee Athletics+1Augusta University+1

  17. Ohio State: 16-over-par 584​University of Tennessee Athletics

Top Individual Performances

  • Jase Summy (Oklahoma): 13-under-par 129 (65-64)​Amateur Golf+2University of Texas Athletics+2University of Oklahoma+2

  • Daniel Bennett (Texas): 11-under-par 131 (64-67)​University of Texas Athletics

  • David Ford (North Carolina): 11-under-par 131 (68-63)​University of Texas Athletics+1Amateur Golf+1

Course Details

The Floridian National Golf Club, designed by Gary Player in 1996 and redesigned by Tom Fazio in 2011, serves as the tournament venue. The course’s challenging layout demands strategic play, testing the skills of collegiate golfers. ​Amateur Golf

Looking Ahead

As the tournament progresses into the final round, Auburn aims to build upon its momentum to challenge the leading teams. With strong individual performances and a collective team effort, the Tigers are poised to contend for top honors in this elite collegiate golf event.

 

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