No. 12 Men’s Golf holds 36-hole lead at Augusta Haskins Award Invitational

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The No. 12 Texas Men’s Golf team registered a two-round total of 38-under-par 538 (272-266) on Saturday to grab a commanding lead in the team standings following the opening day of the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational presented by Valspar at Forest Hills Golf Club. UT’s 538 set a school record for low 36-hole total, besting the 37-under-par 539 registered at the 2016 NCAA Nashville Regional.

Senior twin brothers Parker Coody (68-65) and Pierceson Coody (67-66) are tied for the individual lead at 11-under-par 133 after the first 36 holes. Saturday marked the first competitive collegiate rounds for Pierceson Coody since the Big 12 Match Play Championship on Oct. 13, as he recently recovered from an injury sustained in the fall. Parker Coody, who suffered the same injury as Pierceson in the fall, played in his third tournament of the spring since returning to the lineup.

Texas holds three of the top four and four of the top eight spots on the individual leaderboard, and all five UT players finished under-par and among the top 20 individually following Saturday’s opening day. Junior Travis Vick is tied for third at 9-under-par 135 (68-67), and junior Mason Nome is tied for seventh at 7-under-par 137 (69-68). Senior Cole Hammer is tied for 19th place at 2-under-par 142 (72-70).

After tying its season-best 18-hole team score in Saturday morning’s opening round with a 16-under 272, the Longhorns returned to post a 22-under 266 in the afternoon session. UT’s 266 marked a tie for the second-lowest 18-hole round in program history, just one stroke off the 23-under 265 set in the second round of the 2019 Amer Ari Invitational.

Texas holds a 16-stroke cushion in the team standings over No. 2 Oklahoma State at 22-under-par 554 (276-278). No. 13 Notre Dame is third at 15-under-par 561 (278-283). The 15-team field at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational includes four squads that are ranked in the Top 25 of the latest Division I Bushnell Golfweek Coaches poll (April 1). Following the Coody twins (11-under 133) in the individual standings is a two-way tie for third with Vick and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra of Oklahoma State at 9-under 135.

The Augusta Haskins Award Invitational concludes with 18 holes on Sunday, April 3. Texas will be paired with Oklahoma State and Notre Dame for Sunday’s final round, and tee times will begin at 9 a.m. Central (10 a.m. Eastern) off the first hole.

The Lineup

• Senior Parker Coody is tied for the individual lead with a 36-hole total of 11-under-par 133 (68-65). His second-round score of 7-under 65 was one stroke off his career-best 18-hole score of 8-under 64, set in the final round of the Arizona N.I.T. (March 19). Dating back to that round at the N.I.T., Parker Coody has fired a combined total of 19-under 197 (64-68-65) over his last 54 holes of tourney play. During Saturday’s opening round, Parker Coody was even-par at the turn and carded a 4-under 32 on the back nine. He returned to register eight birdies against just one bogey in the second round.
• Playing in his first competitive collegiate event since Oct. 13 at the Big 12 Match Play Championship due to injury, senior Pierceson Coody is tied with his twin brother for the individual lead at 11-under-par 133 (67-66). Prior to Saturday’s results, his previous season-best 18-hole score was an even-par 70. Pierceson Coody opened his morning round with five birdies over his first six holes and added an eagle on the par-five 11th hole and another birdie on 18 against three bogeys. During the afternoon round, he opened with three consecutive birdies and tallied a total of eight birdies against two bogeys.
• Junior Travis Vick is tied for third with a 36-hole total of 9-under-par 135 (68-67). His second-round score of 5-under 67 tied his career-best 18-hole score, set twice earlier this spring (second round of the Southwestern Invitational on Jan. 25 and the third round of the Amer Ari Invitational on Feb. 5). Vick posted a total of 13 birdies and one eagle (par-five 6th hole in second round) on Saturday.
• Junior Mason Nome is tied for seventh at 7-under-par 137 (69-68). His second-round score of 4-under 68 tied his season-best 18-hole score, set twice earlier this spring (second round of the Amer Ari Invitational on Feb. 4 and first round of the Southern Highlands Collegiate on Feb. 27). Nome recorded a total of 11 birdies against just four bogeys on Saturday.
• Senior Cole Hammer is tied for 19th at 2-under-par 142 (72-70). He recorded a total of six birdies and one eagle (par-five 17th hole in the second round) on Saturday.