#11 Razorbacks Fall in SEC Semis to #1 Auburn
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Top-ranked Auburn took control early and held on to defeat #11 Arkansas, 4-1, in the SEC Championship Semifinals, played at Sea Island Golf Club – Seaside Course.
In the opening match, Arkansas’ John Driscoll III led Carson Bacha 2-Up through 10 holes. However, Bacha won the next five holes to take a 3-Up lead. The pair tied the 16th hole to give Auburn a 3&2 win.
The Tigers increased its lead to 2-0 with a 6&5 win in the fifth match. Auburn’s Brendan Valdes and Christian Castillo tied the first two holes before Valdes won five of the next seven holes to lead 5-Up at the turn. Valdes then won the 13th hole to clinch the 6&5 decision.
Auburn secured the third and deciding point In the third match featuring Auburn’s Jackson Koivun, who won the SEC individual title on Friday, and Razorback freshman Thomas Curry. Koivun won the first hole and was 4-UP through 11 holes.Curry bounced back to win holes 12 and 13 to cut the deficit in half. After tying the next two holes, Koivun won the 16th hole to go up three with two holes to play.
The other two matches on the course were conceded as soon as Auburn won that third point. Jacob Skov Olesen was handed a loss in the second match versus Josiah Gilbert. Gilbert was 1-Up with one hole to play for a 1&1 decision. In the final match, Arkansas’ Matthis Lefevre was credited with a 1&5 victory over J.M. Butler.
Up next, Arkansas will learn its NCAA Regional fate on Wednesday (May 1) on a selection show starting at Noon (CT) on Golf Channel.
SEC Championship
Match Quarter/Semi: April 27
Sea Island Golf Club (Seaside Course) || St. Simons Island, Ga.
Par 70 || 7,005 yards
SEC Match Play Semifinals
#1 (1 seed) Auburn def. #11 (5 seed) Arkansas, 4-1
Carson Bacha (AUB) def. John Driscoll III (ARK), 3&2
Josiah Gilbert (AUB) def. Jacob Skov Olesen (ARK), 1&1
Jackson Koivun (AUB) def. Thomas Curry (ARK), 3&2
Brendan Valdes (AUB) def. Christian Castillo (ARK), 6&5
J.M. Butler lost to Matthis Lefevre (ARK), 1&5
For more information on Arkansas Men’s Golf, follow @RazorbackMGolf on X.
