Arizona State to face Texas in NCAA championship match

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Texas' current seniors lost the 2019 NCAA title after predictions of severe weather pushed up the championship match tee times to just after dawn.

The Longhorns are back in the title match, and this time they don't have to worry about tornadoes. This year's tournament is in the desert, not Arkansas.

Texas beat Vanderbilt 3 1/2-1 1/2 on Tuesday to earn a spot in the championship match against Arizona State, giving its seniors a second shot at winning a national title.

Pierceson Coody and Travis Vick closed out their matches seconds apart at Grayhawk Golf Club, sending the Longhorns to the championship match for the third time in six years. Arizona State beat reigning national champion Pepperdine 4-1 when Preston Summerhays birdied the 18th hole to close out his match 2 up.

“It's debatable whether weather decided the 2019 national championship,” Texas coach John Fields said. “Whether it did or didn't doesn't matter because we've got a chance to play. This is what these guys dream of. This is where they want to be.”

It's been a long wait.

Texas lost the 2019 title match to Stanford in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where tee times were moved up to avoid potential tornadoes in the afternoon. The 2020 tournament was wiped out due to the pandemic and the Longhorns never seemed to find their footing in 2021.

Led by seniors Cole Hammer and twins Pierceson and Parker Moody, Texas was one of the nation's best teams all season, but felt pressure along the way — from regionals to top 15 and top eight at the NCAA championships.

Reaching the quarterfinals seemed to take away some of that weight.

Texas beat Oklahoma State 3-2 in the quarterfinals and had four close matches against Vanderbilt

heading to the back nine at Grayhawk's Raptor Course.

Cole Hammer beat Vandy freshman Gordon Sargent, who won the NCAA individual title on Monday, 4 and 3 to give Texas the first point in the second semifinal.

Vandy's William Moll then closed out his match 1 up with a bogey on No. 18 when Parker Coody couldn't get up and down from a greenside bunker.

Vick opened with birdies to win the first two holes against Reid Davenport and was 3 up after a birdie on the par-4 12th. He finished off the match 4 and 3 with a birdie on the par-4 15th.

Coody took a 2 up lead on Cole Sherwood with a birdie on the par-4 14th and won 4 and 3 with a par on the short par-3 16th.

“What I've noticed is they've freed up, they're enjoying what they're doing here,” Fields said. “I'm particularly proud of the fact that they worked so hard to get here, but at the same time they're enjoying it.”