THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The quest for the title at the Southwestern Invitational Men's Golf Tournament has heated up as teams wrap up their preparations for the final round. The UNLV men's golf team has taken significant strides, climbing to the top of the leaderboard thanks to standout performances from its players. Sophomore Zach Little spearheaded the charge on Tuesday with a remarkable 67, finishing the round at 4-under par and propelling the Rebels to a scorching 5-under 279 second-round performance at Sherwood Country Club, which has been providing challenging conditions with its par-71 layout stretching over 7,081 yards.
After two rounds, UNLV sits at -4 overall, overtaking San Diego State and Texas, who are both tied for second at -2. Little's excellent round has not only bolstered his team's standing but also secured him a tie for first place on the individual leaderboard at 5-under for the tournament, alongside Christian Maas from Texas.
"We found our rhythm on day two," said Little, reflecting on the team's performance. The Rebels showed extraordinary teamwork, racking up 21 birdies throughout the round. Little fired five of those himself, showcasing his ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Senior Caden Fioroni also put on a show, finishing with a strong 2-under 69, including an impressive eagle on the par-5 14th hole, moving him up 20 spots to tie for ninth at even par. Meanwhile, fellow senior Trevor Lewis contributed with a solid 1-under 70, which moved him up 19 places to tie for 46th at +7.
Vanderbilt, too, marked its spot at the Southwestern Invitational, sending three men’s golfers to the top 10 after two days of competitive play. Junior Wells Williams leads the Commodores, currently tied for third place with a 36-hole score of 3-under 139. Williams, who carded even par 71 during his second round, carries serious momentum as he heads to Wednesday’s finale just two strokes off the lead.
"We knew it was important to step up today and I’m thrilled with how some guys rose to the occasion," said Scott Limbaugh, Vanderbilt’s head coach. Junior John Broderick and freshman Ryan Downes were instrumental, both posting team-low 1-under 70s. Broderick, after recovering from a double bogey early on, contributed significant birdies, curling up the leaderboard to tie for ninth. Notably, Downes secured Vanderbilt’s second eagle of the tournament on the par-5 Hole 14, concluding the second round at 1-over 143 and positioned 16th overall.
Meanwhile, the Washington men's golf team made notable gains as well. After finishing round one at 15-over par, the Huskies bounced back with much improved performance at two-over for round two. Under the guidance of head coach Alan Murray, who encouraged his players to showcase their skills more, they climbed up the rankings to sit at +17. Both Finn Koelle and Jack Murphy led the team by tying for 20th place, as Murphy managed to finish the round at one-under par. Jake Foley matched Murphy’s performance, sinking four birdies during his round, which tied him for the Huskies' low round of the day.
With much on the line, the final round promises to be exhilarating. Washington will tee off at 9:20 AM PT and is poised to challenge its rivals, especially with their enhanced confidence. Murray remarked, "Now the challenge will be to see if we can do it on consecutive days and finish strong.”
All eyes will certainly be on UNLV as they look to maintain their lead and claim victory, but with Vanderbilt and others hot on their trail, the final day will undoubtedly be competitive. Tee times for the concluding day begin at 10:50 AM PT, with fans eagerly anticipating the thrilling conclusion to this prestigious event.