SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Virginia junior golfer Ben James overcame a five-shot deficit entering the third and final round to win the Valero Texas Collegiate played at TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course. James shot a 6-under, 66 and defeated Auburn’s Josiah Gilbert with a birdie on the first playoff hole for the overall title.
James birdied the par-5 eighteenth hole to force the playoff and did it again in the one-hole playoff to win his sixth collegiate tournament. With the individual victory, James earned an automatic exemption into the PGA Tour’s 2025 Valero Open (April 3 – April 6).
James’s round of 66 was the second-lowest in the 90-person field on Monday. He posted an overall score of 204 (69-69-66) and registered birdies in seven of his last 13 holes to complete the dramatic comeback victory.
As a team, the third-ranked Cavaliers finished for a tie for third with top-ranked Auburn at 12-under par. Bryan Lee (75-69-71) and Josh Duangmanee (67-77-71) tied for 24th in individual competition, each finishing 1-under for the tournament. Paul Chang (69-78-73) and Maxi Puregger (74-70-81) were 4-over (57th) and 9-over (T-70th) to round out the Virginia lineup.
Competing as an individual, Deven Patel matched Lee and Duangmanee’s 1-under performance and tied for 24th overall. Patel tied with Vanderbilt’s Rowan Sullivan for the lowest three-round score (215) of any unattached competitor.
UP NEXT: Virginia will compete in the Hamptons Collegiate at the Maidstone Club in East Hampton, New York on Oct. 7-8.
TEAM STANDINGS
| PL | Team | RD1 | RD2 | RD3 | Total | To Par |
| 1 | Oklahoma | 268 | 286 | 280 | 834 | -30 |
| 2 | Ole Miss | 273 | 280 | 287 | 840 | -24 |
| T3 | Virginia | 279 | 285 | 281 | 845 | -19 |
| T3 | Auburn | 276 | 289 | 280 | 845 | -19 |
| 5 | Vanderbilt | 279 | 291 | 280 | 850 | -14 |
| T6 | Georgia | 286 | 286 | 281 | 853 | -11 |
| T6 | SMU | 286 | 286 | 281 | 853 | -11 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 282 | 290 | 282 | 854 | -10 |
| 9 | TCU | 284 | 283 | 292 | 859 | -5 |
| 10 | Mississippi State | 281 | 291 | 292 | 864 | E |
| 11 | LSU | 287 | 291 | 289 | 867 | +3 |
| 12 | Clemson | 282 | 298 | 288 | 868 | +4 |
| T13 | UTSA | 296 | 299 | 296 | 891 | +27 |
| T13 | East Tennessee St. | 291 | 297 | 303 | 891 | +27 |
| 15 | North Florida | 305 | 304 | 293 | 902 | +38 |
VIRGINIA
| PL | Player | RD1 | RD2 | RD3 | Total | To Par |
| T1 | Ben James | 69 | 69 | 66 | 204 | -12 |
| T24 | Bryan Lee | 75 | 69 | 71 | 215 | -1 |
| T24 | Josh Duangmanee | 67 | 77 | 71 | 215 | -1 |
| T24 | Deven Patel (Ind.) | 69 | 76 | 70 | 215 | -1 |
| 57 | Paul Chang | 69 | 78 | 73 | 220 | +4 |
| T70 | Maxi Puregger | 74 | 70 | 81 | 225 | +9 |
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