The Auburn men's golf team has made history by capturing the program's first ever national championship. On Wednesday, the top-ranked Tigers defeated Florida State 3-2 at the Division I NCAA Championship in Carlsbad, California.
Leading the way for Auburn was freshman phenom Jackson Koivun. Koivun put the Tigers on the board first with an early win in his match against Florida State's Brett Roberts. He carded a 5&4 victory after sinking a long birdie to end the match. Koivun's point eased some pressure on his teammates as the championship came down to the wire.
The hero for Auburn was senior J.M. Butler. His anchor match against Florida State's Luke Clanton went the distance, reaching the 17th hole all square. But Butler seized the moment, hitting his approach shot to set up a winning birdie that secured the 2&1 victory and the national title for the Tigers.
"A college career isn't complete without a national championship", said Butler after his clutch performance. "And we were lucky to win our conference and a national championship."
While Butler delivered the game-winning point, he had support from his teammates. Junior Brendan Valdes also notched a point for Auburn with a 4&3 win over FSU's Frederik Kjettrup. And Koivun nearly willed the Tigers to victory in the semifinal match the day before against Ohio State.
The championship is the crowning achievement for the Auburn men's golf program and head coach Nick Clinard. After battling in tight matches all season, the Tigers came through when it mattered most on the biggest stage to secure the first national title in school history. Auburn is now among the elite in college golf.
The Tigers will celebrate their championship by rolling Toomer's Corner, a long-standing Auburn tradition. A championship nearly 100 years in the making is now a reality for men's golf at Auburn University.
AUBURN WINS THE 2024 DI MEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
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