CARLSBAD, California: At Omni La Costa's North Course on Tuesday morning, there were plenty of upsets as all four of the lower seeds won the 2024 NCAA Men's Golf Championship quarterfinals.
Georgia Tech defeated Illinois 3-1
In the biggest shock of the day, No. 8 seed Georgia Tech defeated top overall seed and stroke play winner Illinois 3-1. Individual champion Hiroshi Tai secured the win for the Yellow Jackets with a clutch birdie on the par-3 16th hole.
Florida State defeated North Carolina 3-1
No. 5 seed Florida State also pulled off an upset, defeating defending ACC champion and fourth seed North Carolina 3-1. Substitute Tyler Weaver played a pivotal role for the Seminoles, earning a full point in his first round of the championship.
Ohio State defeated Vanderbilt 3-1
No. 7 Ohio State had one of the most dramatic wins, as senior Adam Wallin battled back from two down with three to play to edge second-ranked Vanderbilt 3-1. Neal Shipley and Jackson Chandler contributed additional points for the victorious Buckeyes.
Auburn defeated Virginia 3-1
In the final quarterfinal, top-ranked but sixth-seeded Auburn just got past fifth seed Virginia 3-1. Individual player of the year Jackson Koivun buried a huge birdie on the last to push the Tigers through to the semis. Carson Bacha and Josiah Gilbert also earned points.
The semifinal pairings
Advancing to the afternoon semifinals will be Florida State taking on Georgia Tech, while Auburn and Ohio State square off. All four teams have now punched their tickets to this fall's East Lake Cup. The semifinal matchups are set to begin at 4:15 p.m. ET from the scenic North Course at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.
- Semifinal 1: Florida State vs Georgia Tech
|Match 1| Cole Anderson (FSU) vs Bartley Forrester (GT) | 4:15pm
|Match 2| Tyler Weaver (FSU) vs Kale Fontenot (GT) | 4:25pm
|Match 3| Luke Clanton (FSU) vs Christo Lamprecht (GT) | 4:35pm
|Match 4| Gray Albright (FSU) vs Carson Kim (GT) | 4:45pm
|Match 5| Frederik Kjettrup (FSU) vs Hiroshi Tai (GT) | 4:55pm
- Semifinal 2: Auburn vs Ohio State
|Match 1|Carson Bacha (AUB) vs Maxwell Moldovan (OSU) | 5:05pm
|Match 2|Brendan Valdes (AUB) vs Jackson Chandler (OSU) | 5:15pm
|Match 3|Josiah Gilbert (AUB) vs Tyler Sabo (OSU) | 5:25pm
|Match 4|Jackson Koivun (AUB) vs Adam Wallin (OSU) | 5:35pm
|Match 5|JM Butler (AUB) vs Neal Shipley (OSU) | 5:45pm
Here are my predictions for the winning team of the 2024 NCAA Men's Golf Championship
Georgia Tech upsetting the top seed Illinois in the quarterfinals was a big surprise. They have stellar golfers like Tai and Lamprecht. If they can maintain their form, they have a good chance to make the finals.
I've got to say, Auburn is looking really strong going into the finals. As the top team in the country with the individual player of the year Jackson Koivun leading the way, they just have so much talent. When you combine their great individual skills with solid team chemistry, it's hard to pick against them for the title.
Ohio State deserves a lot of credit too after that crazy comeback win over Vanderbilt. The heart they showed to rally like that was insane. If they can ride that momentum into the semis, they might surprise some people and sneak into the championship match.
If I had to put money on it, I'd say Auburn and Georgia Tech have the best shot at cutting down the nets. But man, any of these teams can win it on the right day. It'll come down to who steps up under pressure when every shot matters. Don't count out Florida State or Ohio State playing spoiler either.
This final should be a battle royale. Auburn and Georgia Tech may have a slight advantage on paper, but the beauty of college golf is that anything can happen. I just can't wait to see which individual golfer guts it out when the stakes are highest. It's gonna be one heck of a finale before we crown the champion!
References:
https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2024/05/28/2024-ncaa-mens-golf-championship-quarterfinal-results-semifinal-pairings/
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