No. 1 Virginia Advances to Match Play Final at East Lake

ATLANTA, Ga. – No. 1 Virginia made quick work of No. 21 Arizona State in the match play semifinal of the East Lake Cup on Tuesday (Oct. 28). The Cavaliers advance to play No. 10 Florida in the final on Wednesday. The championship match will air live on the Golf Channel.

Match Play Semifinal (No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 21 Arizona State)
Michael Lee (UVA) def. Michael Mjaaseth (AZST), 7&6
Peer Wernicke (AZST) def. Josh Duangmanee (UVA), 1UP
Paul Chang (UVA) def. Boston Bracken (AZST), 4&2
Ben James (UVA) def. Bowen Mauss (AZST), 4&3
Bryan Lee (UVA) tied Connor Williams (AZST)

Freshman Michael Lee continued an extraordinary start to his collegiate career by defeating Michael Mjaaseth, the No. 15 player in the country according to the Scoreboard powered by Clippd rankings, 7&6. He closed the match on the 12th hole with his eighth birdie of the day.

Graduate student Paul Chang pulled away late in his match against Boston Bracken, winning 4&2. He won three of the final six holes and won the match with a par on the 16th. Chang tallied six birdies, including three-straight beginning on the 11th hole.

Senior Ben James sent the Cavaliers to the final defeating Bowen Mauss, 4&3 on the 15th hole. After hitting the green on the par-3, 15th hole, James needed two putts to clinch the match. His long birdie attempt was just short of the hole and Mauss conceded the tap in to seal the Virginia victory.

The Cavaliers advance to play No. 10 Florida on Wednesday with tee times beginning at 10:40 a.m. It will be a rematch of last year’s NCAA semifinal in which UVA won 4-1 to move on to the NCAA Championship match for the first time in program history. The Gators defeated No. 12 Ole Miss, 3-2 in the other East Lake Cup semifinal match. Golf Channel coverage begins at 3 p.m. and all matches can be followed here: https://scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/242251/scoring/round