CARLSBAD, Calif. – Auburn senior JM Butler capped two dominant days at La Costa by winning the anchor game Wednesday to give the Tigers the final point they needed to beat Florida State and capture their first championship title. NCAA in men's golf.
“A college career is not complete without a national championship,” Butler said. “This is for all my teammates who push me every day.”
Butler never trailed in any of the three games he played, making him the right player for Auburn if the championship came down to the final game.
He was clinging to a 1-up lead over Florida State's Luke Clanton when Butler holed an 8-foot par putt on the 13th hole to stay ahead. The match swung heavily in his favor on the 15th. Clanton's approach to the firm green gave a sharp jump, he passed behind it and ran down a steep slope towards the water.
He made double bogey, giving Butler a 2-up lead. Butler saved par from a back bunker on the par-3 16th to stay 2 up, and closed it out by closing his approach to 8 feet. Clanton hit a bunker and couldn't reach the green.
Clanton's last hope was to contribute. He removed the pin and the shot hit the back of the cup with such speed that he jumped. Clanton fell to the ground on his back, covering his eyes in disbelief.
Butler lowered his putt to within a few inches and was awarded par for a decisive 2 and 1 victory and the celebration began.
“I didn't feel anything,” Butler said of the nerves. “I prepared for this moment, I worked very hard for this. I knew I had to get out of my way and I would come out victorious.”
Clanton was devastated and sobbed as his teammates comforted him.
“I'm gutted for them right now,” Florida State coach Trey Jones said. “Second place in the national championship is something we consider a good season. But we came here to win and it's disappointing.”
Auburn was the sixth seed of eight teams, beating North Carolina and then winning a close game against Ohio State in the semifinals.
Halfway through the championship game, it became clear that this one would be decided by the anchor game.
Auburn freshman Jackson Koivun capped a 3-0 record in NCAA play by chipping in on the 14th hole to secure a 5-and-4 victory over Brett Roberts, and it wasn't long before he Brendan Valdés defeated Frederik Kjettrup, 4 and 3, to give Auburn another point.
In the first two games, Florida State had to work a little harder. Cole Anderson and Tyler Weaver each had a 3-up lead with three holes remaining. Auburn made them work for those points.
Carson Bacha birdied the 16th and 17th holes and was in position to send the match against Anderson to extra holes until he missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th. Josiah Gilbert won the 16th hole and had the chance from winning the 17th until he narrowly missed a 12-foot birdie. Weaver closed it out with a 6-footer for the win, 2&1.
