CARLSBAD, Calif. – No. 1 Auburn men’s golf looks to capture its seventh straight tournament title in the form of a national championship this week as the Tigers are one of 30 programs set to compete at the 2024 NCAA Championship May 24-29 at the Omni La Costa Champions Course in Carlsbad, California.
“We’re very excited to get out to Carlsbad and get out on a golf course we’ve never seen before,” Tigers head coach Nick Clinard said. “It should be a tough test, but we’re looking forward to it. Our guys are full of confidence, and they love to compete. It’s going to be a long week, but I like our chances if we go out there and play like athletes.”
Auburn is the No. 1 overall seed this week and will begin Friday’s opening round playing alongside No. 2 Vanderbilt and No. 3 North Carolina. The group will go off the 10th tee beginning at 2 p.m. CT.
All 30 teams will duke it out in three rounds of stroke play Friday – Sunday. Following the third round, the field will be cut in half to the top 15 scoring squads who will play a fourth round Monday. After the completion of 72 holes of stroke play, the top eight teams will face off in match play with the quarterfinal and semifinal matches set for Tuesday and the championship finale slated for Wednesday.
Auburn rolls with its same lineup that has produced an SEC Championship and a regional championship in its previous two appearances. Senior J.M. Butler, juniors Carson Bacha and Brendan Valdes and freshman Josiah Gilbert and Jackson Koivun will start the week as the top five. Fifth year Alex Vogelsong will make the trip and be available to substitute into the lineup following the completion of any round.
“We know we have the team to get it done,” Valdes said. “We’re dogs. We know going into the final hole, final round, final shot that any five of us can produce when it matters.”
