Live Blog: Vanderbilt Men’s Golf, Match Play at the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships

Can Vanderbilt men’s golf run the table in the NCAA Men’s Golf Championships?

Tuesday is a big day for the Commodores as they begin match play at the NCAA Championships in Carlsbad, California. Vanderbilt clinched the No. 3 seed in the match play Monday evening with a score of 12-under through four rounds of stroke play. Vanderbilt was in a three-way tie for third place with No. 2 Florida and No. 5 Oklahoma before it ultimately birdied to claim third place in stroke play.

“Today was awesome, and we never take days like this for granted,” head coach Scott Limbaugh said. “I’ve been doing this a while, and to see a young group like this step up is remarkable. We didn’t have a ton of momentum early, and we need to give a lot of credit to Wells for keeping our ship afloat when things weren’t as smooth as we hoped.”

Now, Vanderbilt heads into the tournament portion of the NCAA Championships. Vanderbilt takes on No. 6 seed Arizona to begin Tuesday in the quarterfinal round of match play.

Here is how match play works.

Both Vanderbilt and Arizona will have five players compete head-to-head with each other. Players will be divided into five head-to-head matchups against each other. The goal is for the players in each head-to-head matchup to score better, or win, more holes. For example, the player that scores better on any given hole will be “1 up” on his opponent. The player that has won more holes by the end of the round will have won the head-to-head match and scores a point for his team

The team that ends the round with more points wins the match overall and will advance to the semifinals to take on either No. 2 seed Texas or No. 7 seed UCLA. With five head-to-head matches, the team that wins three of the five matchups or more will be declared the winner.

Here are the five head-to-head matchups between Vanderbilt and Arizona and their tee times.

Chase Nevins (Vanderbilt) vs. Taishi Moto (Arizona), 8:50 a.m. CT

Jon Ed Steed (Vanderbilt) vs. Tianyi Xiong (Arizona), 9 a.m. CT

Will Hartman (Vanderbilt) vs. Filip Jakubcik (Arizona), 9:10 a.m. CT

Ryan Downes (Vanderbilt) vs. William Wistrand (Arizona), 9:20 a.m. CT

Wells Williams (Vanderbilt) vs. Zach Pollo (Arizona), 9:30 a.m. CT

Follow the live blog here for live updates of the quarterfinal round of Vanderbilt men’s golf’s matchup with Arizona.

Live Blog

Be sure to refresh your browser for live updates from Vanderbilt vs. Arizona. Updates for each match are divided into headings of the five matchups. The latest updates will be at the top directly under each head-to-head matchup heading.

2:40 p.m. CT: Williams lost on the second playoff hole. Vanderbilt has lost to Arizona 3-2 in the quarterfinal round of match play at the NCAA Championships.

2:21 p.m. CT: Williams and Pollo tied on the first playoff hole. They are now going to a second playoff hole, the 20th hole over the day in this matchup. The two will go until one of them wins a hole.

2:05 p.m. CT: Zach Pollo has tied the match back up. Wells Williams double bogeyed the 18th hole while Pollo went par. Still looking for a winner as the two head to a playoff to determine who goes on to the semifinals.

1:39 p.m. CT: Wells Williams has not just come back to tie it, but he has now come back to take the lead! Williams birdied the 16th hole to tie Pollo and then went eagle on the 17th hole. He is now 1 Up with one hole to go. If he ties or does better than Pollo on the 18th hole, Vanderbilt moves onto the semifinals later today.

1:07 p.m. CT: Vanderbilt and Arizona are now tied 2-2. It all comes down to Wells Williams against Zach Pollo. With four holes to go, Williams trails by one hole. Vanderbilt's men's golf season is over if Williams does not come back.

12:28 p.m. CT: Vanderbilt and Arizona are tied 1-1. Downes is 4 Up with five holes to go. If he wins, Vanderbilt would secure its second point. Reminder: First team to three points clinches a victory and will move onto the semifinals.

Matchup 5: Williams vs. Pollo

Through 14 holes, Williams ties Pollo by one. The winner of this match will be the match points and move his team into the semifinals of the NCAA Championships later this afternoon. Vanderbilt's season hangs in the balance.

Williams now trails Pollo by two after 12 holes. Williams lost each of the last two holes and is now in jeopardy of losing.

This has been the closest matchup of the day. Williams and Pollo are tied through eight holes. It is possible that Vanderbilt might score three points and win the quarterfinal match before Williams and Pollo finish.

Williams has taken his first lead of the day after beating Pollo on the sixth hole. Williams got it in four shots, while it took Pollo six shots.

The two ended up tying the third hole with three shots apiece. Williams and Pollo are tied through three.

Williams came back to tie the head-to-head matchup on the second hole. Williams got the second hole done in four shots while it took Pollo five. All knotted up through two.

Wells Williams and Zach Pollo have teed off in their quarterfinal head-to-head battle. After the first hole, Pollo got the best of Williams and is now 1 Up through one.

Matchup 4: Downes vs. Wistrand

Downes got Vanderbilt its second point after tying Wistrand on the 14th and 15th holes to stay 4 Up. He won the match 4&3.

Downes is very close to closing this match out. He is 4 up on Wistrand through 13 holes. If he finishes this matchup off, he will put Vanderbilt in the lead.

Downes also is 4 Up in his matchup. In the ninth hole, Downes went 4 Up on Wistrand and has kept the lead every since. Through 11 holes, Downes looks to put this one away early.

Downs and Wistrand have tied each of the last three holes now. He has a lead of 2 Up after seven holes. The Commodores are in prime position to move onto the semis if leads hold.

On the fourth hole, Downes beat Wistrand three shots to four. It gives a lead of 2 Up with up to 14 holes to play.

Downes and Wistrand both finished the third hole in three strokes, so Downes remains 1 Up.

Through two holes, Downs leads Wistrand by one after the two tied the second hole.

Vanderbilt's Ryan Downes has begun his match play matchup against Arizona's William Wistrand. Through one hole, Downes is 1 Up.

Matchup 3: Hartman vs. Jakubcik

Hartman gets Vanderbilt on the board as he goes 6 Up on Jakubcik with five holes remaining. He wins the matchup 6&5. Vanderbilt has one point.

Hartman is up by four now on Jakubcik. He expanded his lead to 4 Up during the ninth hole and has kept it at that margin through 11 holes. Hartman can end this matchup early and score a point for Vanderbilt if he maintains his lead.

After the eighth hole, Hartman retains his lead of 3 Up on Jakubcik. With up to 11 holes remaining, Hartman can end this match early and get a point for Vanderbilt if he can keep the big lead.

Through five holes, Hartman still leads by three on Jakubcik. The two tied the fourth and fifth holes. Vanderbilt in a good position to get a point from this matchup right now.

Will Hartman is taking care of business so far today as he has beaten Jakubcik on a third hole to start the day. He is now 3 Up through three holes. A huge advantage for Vanderbilt in this matchup.

Hartman won the second hole over Jakubcik and has opened up a lead of 2 Up. A great start for Vanderbilt here in this head-to-head matchup.

Will Hartman has begun his head-to-head matchup against Filip Jakubcik of Arizona. Through one hole, Hartman is 1 Up.

Matchup 2: Steed vs. Xiong

A gut punch to Vanderbilt between Steed and Xiong between holes 14 through 16. Xiong won three consecutive holes and went 3 Up with two holes remaining. As a result, Xiong took the point and won the matchup 3&2.

Through 13 holes, Steed and Xiong are tied

Steed's lead over Xiong has evaporated. The two are now tied up through 12 holes. This matchup will likely go 17 or all 18 holes given how close it has been.

Xiong came back to cut Steed's deficit to 1 Up in the eight hole. Steed held a lead of 2 Up through seven, but Xiong has justed responded.

Through five holes, Steed maintains his lead of 1 Up. The two are going shot for shot and playing even since Steed took the first hole.

Steed and Xiong match scores on the fourth hole, finishing in three strokes. Steed still is 1 Up on Xiong.

Steed and Xiong tied the second and third holes, so Jon Ed Steed still leads 1 Up through three holes.

The second matchup of match play has begun between Jon Ed Steed and Arizona's Tianyi Xiong. After the first hole, Steed is 1 Up on Xiong.

Matchup 1: Nevins vs. Moto

Moto runs away with this matchup and gives Arizona a point after he goes 4 Up on Nevins on the 15th hole. With only three holes left, the matchup ends. Nevins loses to Moto 4&3.

Through nine holes, Nevins still trails Moto by one. The two have tied each of the last three holes. Onto the back nine in a closely-contested matchup.

Nevins fell to Moto in the sixth hole and now trails. Moto is now 1 Up on the Commodore.

Nevins dropped to Moto in the fifth hole. Nevins finished the hole in four strokes while Moto finished it in three. It is all tied up in this matchup.

Nevins and Moto tied on the fourth hole, so Nevins is still 1 Up in this matchup

Nevins and Moto tied the third hole, the Commodore is still 1 Up on the Wildcat.

On the second hole, Nevins took down Moto and is now 1 Up through two holes

Nevins and Moto are tied after one hole. The two each finished in four strokes.

Chase Nevins has begun his match play matchup with Arizona's Taishi Moto. The Commodores quest for a bid in the NCAA Championships Semifinals has begun.

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