Aggies Top No. 12 Tennessee at SEC Match Play – Texas A&M Athletics

MOUNTAIN BROOK, Ala. – The No. 17 Texas A&M men’s golf team wrapped up the SEC Match Play hosted by Jerry Pate with a 3-2 victory over the No. 12 Tennessee Volunteers at the Country Club of Birmingham Wednesday afternoon.
 
Phichaksn Maichon, Jaime Montojo and Vishnu Sadagopan claimed points for Ol’ Sarge’s charges at the par-71, 7,226-yard West Course.
 

Montojo earned the clinching point with a 2&1 triumph over defending SEC Championship medalist Caleb Surratt. Montojo was ahead 3UP after eight holes, but his opponent won four of the next five holes to wrangle the lead away 1UP after 13. Montojo was unwavering despite Surratt’s tidal wave of momentum. The Madrid, Spain, sophomore stormed back to win the next three holes, including birdies on Nos. 14 and 16 to go 2UP. He halved No. 17 to put the match to bed.
 

Maichon was the first golfer to have his opponent tap out, winning 4&2 over Evan Woosley-Reed. The Bangkok, Thailand, product won the first hole and was 4UP at the turn after adding Nos. 5, 7 and 8 to his tally. On the back nine, Maichon birdied No. 10 to stretch his lead to 5UP. Woosley-Reed made a late run taking Nos. 14 and 15, but Maichon closed it out with a birdie on No. 16.
 

The Volunteers evened the match with Jake Hall topping A&M’s Michael Heidelbaugh, 2&1. The match was knotted as late as No. 13, but Hall was triumphant on Nos. 14 and 16 and halved No. 17.

Sadagopan was trailing 2UP after three holes, but parred Nos. 5 and 6 while Lance Simpson posted two bogeys, making the match all-square. Simpson took No. 7 and was 1UP through No. 11. Sadagopan birdied No. 12, pulling even, and took advantage of a pair of Simpson bogeys to go 2UP after 15 holes. Simpson claimed No. 16, but they halved the final two holes to put the point in the A&M column.

 

After the Aggies secured the victory, Tennessee added a cosmetic point with Bryce Lewis topping Aaron Pounds in 19 holes. Pounds made a late surge to send it to an extra hole. The freshman gained an early lead with a birdie on No. 2, but Bryce Lewis tied the match on No. 5 and stormed to a 3UP advantage taking Nos. 7, 11 and 12. After both players parred No. 13, Pounds blitzed Lewis, winning three of the next four holes to square the match.

 

The Aggies return to action Monday and Tuesday when they travel to Shady Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth to participate in the Ben…