Vanderbilt's Matthias Schwab
(Vanderbilt Athletics Photo)
SUGAR GROVE, IL (May 27, 2017) - When first round NCAA Championship play resumed on Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m. CT Vanderbilt picked up right where they left off late last evening. 8-under when play was suspended Friday evening at Rich Harvest Farms, the Commodores continued their strong play to reach 10-under before the end of first round play.
Heading into the second round, which is already underway, Vanderbilt is four shots clear of Auburn (-6), Illinois (-6) and Oklahoma State (-6) all of whom are tied for second place. UNLV (-5) is fourth while USC (-4) and Oklahoma (-4) are tied for sixth.
In the individual race Braden Thornberry of Ole Miss, who played in Friday's morning wave remained atop the leaderboard following his bogey-free 6-under 66.
FIRST ROUND SUSPENSION RECAP
With day one play at the NCAA Championship suspended due to darkness Vanderbilt is 8-under and leading the way. Playing at Rich Harvest Farms the Commodores will finish off their first round when play resumes at the 6:30 a.m. CT on Saturday morning.
Auburn, who completed their first round after a three-hour weather delay, is currently in second place at 6-under, Oklahoma State is 5-under in third, USC is fourth at 3-under. Both Oklahoma State and USC still need to complete their first round.
In the individual race Braden Thornberry of Ole Miss is leading the way. Thornberry, playing in the morning wave opened with a bogey-free 6-under 66.
"I never got in in trouble today," said Thornberry on his round. "I was never really close to making too many bogeys. I was hitting fairways, and if I did miss, I was lucky enough to get a few good lies. I tried to keep it in front of me and made some putts. I tried to make it an easy day."
Starting on the the 10th hole, Thornberry birdied Nos. 13, 14, 17 and 18 before making the turn and added two additional birdies on the 1st and 3rd holes.
-Ole Miss Athletics contributed to this story
ABOUT THE
NCAA Division I Championship
The NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship is the pinnacle of collegiate golf in the United States, held annually in late May or early June. The event brings together the nation's top 30 teams and six individual qualifiers, all of whom have advanced through a grueling regional qualifying process. Conference champions earn automatic regional berths, while a selection committee fills the remaining spots.
The championship begins with 72 holes of stroke play to determine the individual national champion. Following this, the top 8 teams advance to a match play bracket to compete for the team title — a format introduced in 2009 that added a dramatic head-to-head element to the final days of competition.
Some of the most decorated names in professional golf have competed in this event, including Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Tiger Woods, and Phil Mickelson. Winning the individual title now includes an added bonus: the champion receives an invitation to the following year’s Masters Tournament, provided they maintain amateur status.
The tournament dates back to 1897, originally run by the National Intercollegiate Golf Association. The NCAA began officially sponsoring the event in 1939. Over time, the championship has become not just a collegiate milestone, but also a launching pad for future PGA Tour stars.
After 72 holes of stroke play, the individual champion is crowned, and the low 8 teams advance to match play to determine the team champion.
View Complete Tournament Information