Ben James Wins Valero Texas Collegiate

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Virginia junior golfer Ben James overcame a five-shot deficit entering the third and final round to win the Valero Texas Collegiate played at TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course. James shot a 6-under, 66 and defeated Auburn’s Josiah Gilbert with a birdie on the first playoff hole for the overall title.

James birdied the par-5 eighteenth hole to force the playoff and did it again in the one-hole playoff to win his sixth collegiate tournament. With the individual victory, James earned an automatic exemption into the PGA Tour’s 2025 Valero Open (April 3 – April 6).

 

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James’s round of 66 was the second-lowest in the 90-person field on Monday. He posted an overall score of 204 (69-69-66) and registered birdies in seven of his last 13 holes to complete the dramatic comeback victory.

As a team, the third-ranked Cavaliers finished for a tie for third with top-ranked Auburn at 12-under par. Bryan Lee (75-69-71) and Josh Duangmanee (67-77-71) tied for 24^th in individual competition, each finishing 1-under for the tournament. Paul Chang (69-78-73) and Maxi Puregger (74-70-81) were 4-over (57^th) and 9-over (T-70^th) to round out the Virginia lineup.

Competing as an individual, Deven Patel matched Lee and Duangmanee’s 1-under performance and tied for 24^th overall. Patel tied with Vanderbilt’s Rowan Sullivan for the lowest three-round score (215) of any unattached competitor.

UP NEXT: Virginia will compete in the Hamptons Collegiate at the Maidstone Club in East Hampton, New York on Oct. 7-8.

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