CARLSBAD, Calif. – The No. 16-ranked Vanderbilt men’s golf team came through clutch on cut day at the 2025 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships, as the Commodores carded 3-over 291 in Round 3 to move into a tie for 13th and advance to Round 4.
Vandy goes into Monday with a 54-hole score of 15-over 879, three strokes off the cut line to qualify for match play.
Vanderbilt once again battled through high gusts off the Pacific Ocean approaching the back nine of the North Course at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa. The Commodores successfully navigated through the wind in Round 3, learning the lesson from Saturday, as Vanderbilt went 1-under in its final four holes on Sunday. Vandy capped off the round with two birdies on 18 from sophomore Chase Nevins and freshman Ryan Downes to keep the Dores on the positive side of the cutline coming off the course.
The Commodores had to wait in the clubhouse to find out their fate, as 14 teams were finishing out the round. The wind picked up as the afternoon continued, keeping scores high and allowing Vanderbilt to move on to Round 4, ending the day tied for 13th with No. 21-ranked Pepperdine.
“Last night we talked about being grateful for having the opportunity to tee off this morning after the way we finished yesterday,” said Thomas F. Roush, M.D., and Family Vanderbilt Men’s Golf Head Coach Scott Limbaugh. “When you’re grateful, it helps you appreciate the moment a little bit more. I’ve got to give credit to the team on bouncing back, because they were down about yesterday’s finish. They got their minds right and were opportunistic today. I’m super proud of them. We took it one step at a time and did it together, and to me, that shows a lot of resilience. We didn’t finish to our standards yesterday, but we did today. The boys did some big-time stuff down the stretch. I’m super happy for them.”
Senior Jackson Van Paris bounced back from his over-par performance on Saturday and went under par for the second time at the 2025 NCAA Championships, finishing Round 3 at 1-under 71. The All-American led the charge for the Commodores on the back nine, as he carded 2-under and went bogey-free over his last nine holes. The Pinehurst, North Carolina, native heads into Monday with a three-round score of 1-over 217.
“Jackson was gritty today, he didn’t hit a fairway for about a six-hole stretch but found ways,” said the Vanderbilt head coach of his senior. “He shifted his mindset on Hole 10 and knew he had to do something to help our team advance and found some momentum.”
Downes went a team-best 2-under 70 in Round 3, as he shot up 33 places on the player leaderboard. It is the eighth time that the freshman has finished at par-or-better in his last 12 rounds. The Longmeadow, Massachusetts, native had five birdies on Sunday, to give him a total of nine for the tournament. Downes heads into Monday in a tie for 31st at 2-over 218.
“Ryan Downes is tough,” expressed Limbaugh. “That kid likes the big moments. I’m super proud of him. He is playing at a high level right now, and he is getting better every time out.
“Also, I thought Chase Nevins was solid today. He had a double bogey on his second hole, bounced right back and birdied three of his next four to get his round under par for a moment. Then he came through and birdied 18, all that matters so much. I’m super proud of him as well.”
No. 1-seed Auburn heads into the final round of stroke play at the 2025 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships in first place. The Tigers sit at 10-under 854 and hold a four-stroke lead over the field. Michael La Sasso of Ole Miss is in first on the player leaderboard with a 54-hole score of 11-under 205.
Vanderbilt tees off Round 4 of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships on Monday at 12:30 p.m. CT from the first tee box. The Commodores open the final round of stroke play two strokes shy of the cutline. Fans can follow along with live scoring by clicking the link here.
Golf Channel will air live coverage of Round 4 on Monday from 5-9 p.m. CT.
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