PONTE VEDRA, Fla. – Senior Ben James tied for fourth at The Hayt after a final round 70 (-2), his sixth top five finish in six starts this season and 31st top 10 of his career. The Cavaliers moved up five spots on Monday (March 9) and finished sixth at 13-under (851).
Despite the third-lowest team score of the day (11-under, 277) behind tournament champion Auburn (-13) and Texas Tech (-12), the Cavaliers finished outside the top five for the first time this season. No. 1 Virginia has finished first or second in five of its six stroke play competitions this season.
Auburn’s Jackson Koivun took home medalist honors at 11-under, one stroke ahead of Seb Cave (Charlotte), Williams Love (Duke) and two strokes ahead of James and Connor Graham (Texas Tech). Koivun shot a 5-under 67 in the final round which included a birdie on the par 5, 18th hole to capture the victory.
The biggest accension of the day came from Josh Duangmanne who vaulted 39 spots on the leaderboard to tie for 16th thanks to a 7-under, 65 in the final round, the lowest by any player on day three by two strokes. The 65 was the lowest of any player in the 90-person field over 54 holes of competition. It was Duangmanee’s second 65 of the spring which is tied with Maxi Puregger (Puerto Rico Classic) for the lowest of any Cavalier this season. Duangmanee had eight birdies on his card, including five in his first nine holes played.
Joining Duangmanee and James in the top 20 was graduate student Paul Chang who carded a 4-under 68 in the final round. Chang rose to a tie for 20th, moving up 21 spots, second to only Duangmanee for the biggest climb. Chang recorded his fourth round in the 60s this season and his T-20 finish was his fifth in six starts this season, a career high.
UP NEXT
Virginia will return to action next week at the Pauma Valley Invitational in San Diego. The 54-hole event at Pauma Valley Country Club will run from Monday, March 16 through Wednesday March 18.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
• Duangmanee and James each had 15 birdies in 54 holes, tied for the second most of anyone in the field behind Clemson’s Lucas Augustsson (16).
• Virginia improved to 14-1-1 against ACC schools in stroke play competition this season.
• Duangmanee has eight rounds in the 60s this season which matches his season total from 2024-25. Seven of the eight rounds have come in the three spring tournaments (nine rounds).
LEADERBOARD
|
PL. |
TEAM |
RD 1 |
RD 2 |
RD 3 |
TOTAL |
TO PAR |
|
1. |
Auburn |
279 |
282 |
275 |
836 |
-28 |
|
2. |
Texas Tech |
287 |
275 |
276 |
838 |
-26 |
|
3. |
Charlotte |
280 |
278 |
282 |
840 |
-24 |
|
4. |
LSU |
274 |
287 |
280 |
841 |
-23 |
|
5. |
North Carolina |
282 |
287 |
279 |
848 |
-16 |
|
6. |
Virginia |
276 |
298 |
277 |
851 |
-13 |
|
7. |
South Carolina |
283 |
281 |
288 |
852 |
-12 |
|
8. |
Clemson |
287 |
285 |
281 |
853 |
-11 |
|
9. |
Coastal Carolina |
288 |
281 |
285 |
854 |
-10 |
|
10. |
Alabama |
279 |
286 |
291 |
856 |
-8 |
|
11. |
USF |
287 |
281 |
287 |
855 |
-9 |
|
12. |
Duke |
291 |
288 |
285 |
864 |
E |
|
13. |
Louisville |
294 |
298 |
283 |
866 |
+2 |
|
14. |
UCF |
280 |
294 |
293 |
867 |
+3 |
|
15. |
Liberty |
291 |
287 |
294 |
872 |
+8 |
|
16. |
North Florida |
296 |
295 |
285 |
876 |
+12 |
VIRGINIA
|
PL. |
PLAYER |
RD 1 |
RD 2 |
RD 3 |
TOTAL |
TO PAR |
|
T4. |
67 |
70 |
70 |
207 |
-9 |
|
|
T16. |
67 |
79 |
65 |
211 |
-5 |
|
|
T20. |
71 |
73 |
68 |
212 |
-4 |
|
|
T79 |
71 |
77 |
76 |
224 |
+8 |
|
|
82. |
74 |
78 |
74 |
226 |
+10 |
|
|
T83. |
Maxi Puregger (IND) |
73 |
82 |
74 |
229 |
+13 |