CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA – Auburn defeated Florida State 3-2 to win the team state championship for the first time in school history (7,538 yards/par 72) at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s North Course. Auburn’s championship was the Tigers’ 10th of the season and seven in a row.
The fifth game of the day was between Auburn senior JM Butler and Florida State sophomore Luke Clanton as the two teams battled for the first team state championship in school history. Butler never trailed in a close match and won the national championship on the 17th hole as both he and Clanton made pars. Clanton came close for birdie on the hole, but his chip from the green hit the cup and bounced. Butler then missed a shot in the game and fell just inches short of the cup, but Butler won 2 & 1.
“I just focused on what I had to do,” Butler said. “I tried not to get caught up in what he was doing. Luke (Clanton) is a great player and I knew it was going to be a tough game today. It’s what I’ve been training for my whole life. He’s spent a lot of lonely hours on the court just trying to figure it out. All I had to do was get out of my own way. I just believed that I could always try to make my own destiny. As long as I had my teammates, it didn’t matter what was in front of me, that’s all I needed.”
“All five of us playing today was the goal that we’ve been looking for for the last 364 days,” Clanton said. “It’s hard to just ride it out, especially with the guys that are leaving. Those guys are my brothers. I really wanted to give them a national championship. It’s hard to think about it right now. It was great to play against a great team in the championship game. It’s hard to see those guys leave without a ring on their finger. Next year, I promise you that win.”
Unseeded Auburn improved to 4-1 all-time with three wins over the past two days in the NCAA Championship game.
“It doesn’t even feel real,” Auburn head coach Nick Clinard said of winning the national championship. “We’ve worked so hard for this, I’ve got some great guys. I’m so happy for them. It’s not about me, it’s about the kids here. It’s about my coaching staff. It’s about the Auburn family. It’s about Auburn University. And we’re bringing a home to Auburn. The culture, the locker room, the relationship, they have a similar vision. Have fun together, practice together, encourage each other, get 10 wins.” (I told them that if they win this golf tournament, they could become one of the greatest teams in college golf history.)
Florida State took second in the first two games of the day as Cole Anderson went 1 over Carson Bacha and Tyler Weaver went 2/1 over Josiah Gilbert.
Auburn freshman sensation Jackson Koivun improved to 3-0 in the 2024 championship match, breaking a tie after three holes and holding off Florida State’s Brett Roberts 5-4 to give Auburn the lead. Koivun, the 2024 Fred Haskins Award winner and Player of the Year, sent Auburn to the national championship by sinking a five-foot birdie putt on the 21st hole to beat Ohio State 3-2 on Tuesday. The second point of the match came from junior Brendan Valdes, who defeated Florida State’s Frederik Kjettrup 4&3.
“Watching golf is definitely a little stressful,” Koivun said. “It’s not like I wasn’t stressed playing overtime yesterday. It was great to get the first point and trust the boys to do what they have to do. It’s indescribable. It’s amazing. It’s been a great year. We want to come back stronger next year.”
Auburn has its 10th win of the 2023-24 season. The Tigers closed out the year by winning their last seven contests. Accomplishments include wins at the Pinehurst Intercollegiate, Tiger Invitational, Seahawk Intercollegiate, Mossy Oak Collegiate, SEC Championship, NCAA Baton Rouge Regional and NCAA Championship.
“There’s no way to say it, ‘I’ve been there before’ or ‘It’s going to be OK,’ and they don’t want to hear that,” Florida State head coach Trey Jones said. “You only get so many chances at a national championship. You’re very lucky and blessed to get one. But it didn’t go our way. They’re tough to win, tough to play golf. If you’ve won two or three times on the PGA Tour, it’s a great game, you’ve had a great year. It just didn’t go our way today. We went 5th, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd. did not qualify.” Many classes in college golf history have had better runs and we’ll reflect on that.”
RESULTS AND SCHEDULE OF TEAM GAMES
National Championship – May 29
#6 Auburn def. #5 Florida State, 3-2
- Cole Anderson (Florida State) def. Carson Bacha (Red Rays), 1 up
- Tyler Weaver (Florida State) over Josiah Gilbert (Auburn), 2-1
- Jackson Koivun (Auburn) def. Brett Roberts (Florida State), 5 and 4
- Brendan Valdes (Nose Rays), def. Frederick Kjettrup (Florida State), 4th and 3
- JM Butler (Auburn) def. Luke Clanton (Florida State), 2 & 1
Semi-final results – May 28
#5 Florida State def. #8 Georgia Tech, 3-2
- Bartley Forrester (Georgia Tech) def. Cole Anderson (L.D.), 3rd and 2
- Tyler Weaver (Florida State) vs. Kale Fontenot (Georgia Tech), 19 holes
- Luke Clanton (Florida State) def. Christo Lamprecht (Georgia Tech), 2&1
- Carson Kim (Georgia Tech) def. Gray Albright (Florida State), 4th and 2
- Frederick Kjettrup (Florida State) def. Hiroshi Tai (Georgia Tech), 3&1
#6 Auburn def. No. 7 Ohio State, 3-2
- Maxwell Moldova (Ohio State) def. Carson Bacha (Red Rays), 1 up
- Brendan Valdes (Auburn) def. Jackson Chandler (Ohio State), 1 up
- Tyler Sabo (Ohio State) def. Josiah Gilbert (Auburn), 1 Up
- Jackson Koivun (Auburn) over Adam Wallin (Ohio State), 21 holes
- JM Butler (Auburn) def. Neal Shipley (Ohio State), 2&1
The result of the quarter-finals – May 28
#8 Georgia Tech def. No. 1 Illinois, 3-1
- Bartley Forrester (Georgia Tech) def. Tyler Goecke (Illinois), 3rd and 1
- Jackson Buchanan (Illinois) vs. Cale Fontenot (Georgia Tech), Incomplete
- Max Herendin (Illinois) def. Carson Kim (Georgia Tech), 5 & 4
- Aidan Tran (Georgia Tech) def. Pierce Hunt (Illinois), 3 and 2
- Hiroshi Tai (Georgia Tech), def. Ryan Wuis (Illinois), 3rd and 2
#5 Florida State def. #4 North Carolina, 3-1
- Dylan Menante (North Carolina) vs. Cole Anderson (Florida State), 2&1
- Brett Roberts (Florida State) def. Peter Fountain (North Carolina), 2 & 1
- Luke Clanton (Florida State) def. Austin Grazer (North Carolina), 2&1
- Tyler Weaver (Florida State) def. David Ford (North Carolina), 3rd and 2
- Maxwell Ford (North Carolina) vs. Frederick Kjettrup (Florida State), Incomplete
#7 Ohio State Def. No. 2 Vanderbilt, 3-1
- Jackson Chandler (Ohio State) def. Jackson Van Paris (Vanderbilt), 3 and 2
- Cole Sherwood (Vanderbilt) def. Maxwell Moldova (Ohio State), 3 & 2
- Neal Shipley (Ohio State) def. Matthew Riedel (Vanderbilt), 4 and 2
- Adam Wallin (Ohio State) def. Gordon Sargent (Vanderbilt), 19 holes
- William Moll (Vanderbilt) vs. Tyler Sabo (Ohio State), No
#6 Auburn def. No. 3 Virginia, 3-1
- Carson Bacha (Auburn) def. Josh Duangmani (Virginia), 2&1
- George Duangmani (Virginia) def. Brendan Valdez (Auburn), 2nd and 1
- Josiah Gilbert (Auburn), def. Brian Lee (Virginia), 2nd and 1
- Jackson Koivun (Nose Rays) def. Deven Patel (Virginia), 1 up
- Ben James (Virginia) vs. JM Butler (Auburn), Incomplete
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