ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – The No. 18/17-ranked Vanderbilt men’s golf team concluded Round 1 of the 2025 SEC Men’s Golf Championship Wednesday afternoon.
The Commodores started slowly at Sea Island Golf Club but rebounded in the afternoon, as Vandy finished at 2-over as a team on the back nine to close Round 1. Vanderbilt heads into Round 2 on Thursday with a team total of 12-over 292.
“It certainly wasn’t the start that we anticipated or wanted,” said Thomas F. Roush, M.D., and Family Vanderbilt Men’s Golf Head Coach Scott Limbaugh. “We felt very well prepared, but we never had control of the round and never had momentum. However, I was proud of the fight our guys showed all the way through. All through the lineup, there were some positives. We aren’t where we want to be, but I believe in this group. I fully expect us to respond tomorrow in a Vanderbilt golf fashion. I’m asking our fans to hang in with us and show up again tomorrow. We need some energy, and there is a long way to go in this golf tournament. We have to do it one shot at a time.”
Freshman Ryan Downes led the way for the Dores on Wednesday. The Longmeadow, Massachusetts, native went 2-over 72 in his SEC Men’s Golf Championship debut and heads into Thursday in a tie for 52nd on the player leaderboard.
Senior Jackson Van Paris and junior Wells Williams each went 3-over 73 in Round 1 and will open play on Thursday in a tie for 60th. Van Paris ended his day by carding 1-under on the back nine.
No. 2-ranked Auburn sits atop the team leaderboard at the SEC Championship at the end of 18 holes, as the Tigers sit at 16-under 264, seven strokes ahead of second-place No. 7-ranked LSU. Texas A&M’s Michael Heidelbaugh leads the field through one round after he carded 9-under 61 on Wednesday.
Round 2 of the 2025 SEC Men’s Golf Championship gets underway Thursday on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club. The Commodores tee off at 8:40 a.m. CT. Click here for the full pairings list. Fans can also follow along with Round 2 via live scoring on GolfStat.com.
“We freed up a little on the back nine today, and guys made some putts and had some energy about them,” stated Limbaugh. “We just came out too careful today, and that’s my fault. We have three guys who have never played in an SEC Championship before, so it’s a new arena. You’ve got to learn to focus on the right things, and I’ve got to help them along the way; that’s our responsibility as coaches. We also have to have a little more dog in us. We have to fight the good fight. That’s what Vanderbilt golf is built on.”
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