How Vanderbilt golfer Gordon Sargent fared in the first round at Masters 2023
Vanderbilt sophomore golfer Gordon Sargent, the No. 1 ranked amateur in the world, shot a 5-over-par 77 in his debut at The Masters in Augusta, Georgia, on Thursday.
He is 12 shots behind first-round leaders Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka.
After winning the NCAA individual title last year, the 19-year-old Sargent received a special invitation to play in the 2023 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.
“Kicked my butt out there,” Sargent told Vanderbilt athletics. “I actually drove it really well out there. Just really sloppy around the greens and on the greens.
“But I talked to my caddie at every single hole. We’re at Augusta at the Masters, how can you complain?”
Sargent's round started promising with a birdie on the par-4 first hole. A bogey on his second hole and a triple bogey at No. 3 had him at 3 over through three holes. He birdied Nos. 4 and 6, sandwiched by a bogey, to drop to 4 over.
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He proceeded to birdie both No. 7 and No. 8, a par-5, to get to 2 over but a bogey on the next hold put him at 3 over after nine holes.
After a par on No. 10, he had a double bogey at No. 11 to fall to 5 under. Sargent then put together his most consistent stretch of the day with par on holes 12-16. After a bogey on No. 17 he finished strong with a birdie on the final hole.
Sargent is playing with former Masters champion Zach Johnson, who finished at 3 over, and former PGA Championship winner Jason Day, who is at 5 under.
“I just need to clean it up around the greens and on the greens,” Sargent said. “My speed is pretty terrible today. Just kind of focusing on that. Go get a few reps on the practice green and get some rest for (Friday).”
Gordon's tee time for the second round Friday is 8:36 a.m. CT.
“Look forward to trying to play a good round (Friday) and hopefully make the weekend,” said Sargent.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How Vanderbilt's Gordon Sargent fared in the first round at Masters 2023
