Jackson Koivun has already written his legacy at Auburn as one of the greatest Tigers of all time. So has Nick Clinard, the men’s golf coach who has turned Auburn into a powerhouse and led them to the 2024 national title.
Now, the two hope to bring home yet more awards as the NCAA Regionals begin. For the Tigers, it starts in a familiar place, Athens, Ga., but on an unfamiliar course: the University of Georgia Golf Course.
“I’ve never been to this course before, and none of our guys have played there, so we certainly have a new challenge ahead of us,” Clinard said. “Everything in life is earned, much less golf, so we’ll have to go there and play well to get through.”
The top-ranked Tigers will be prohibitive favorites to be one of the five teams that advance to the NCAA Championships at the Omni La Costa Champions Course in Carlsbad, Calif., the same place they walked away with the trophy two years ago. Last year, Auburn entered as the top national seed as well, but ran into a tough Florida team in the quarterfinals of match play, ending the Tigers’ hope for a repeat.
Auburn enters the NCAA Tournament as the top-ranked team
This year, three players – Koviun, Josiah Gilbert and Cayden Pope – hope to return to Omni La Costa and make up for that defeat last year.
But first things are first, and that is staying ahead of the field in Athens that includes No. 12 Illinois, No. 13 Vanderbilt, No. 24 BYU, RV Georgia (host), Louisville, Kansas, Northwestern, College of Charleston, Rice, Southern Miss, Harvard and Howard.
For Koivun, who earned his PGA Tour card last year through the PGA Tour U. Acceleration Program, it will likely be his final time representing Auburn at a tournament, and despite all of the awards he has already won during his esteemed career, there is one thing missing: the NCAA individual title.
As the top amateur player in the world, players throughout the nation will want to be the guy who takes Koivun down. But, as he’s proved all season long (and during the last three seasons), that’s harder to accomplish than said.
NCAA Regional play takes place from May 18-20.
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