No. 1 amateur could join PGA Tour early
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Gordon Sargent, the top-ranked amateur in the world and Vanderbilt University junior, will put off turning professional until he completes his senior season in 2025.
Sargent, who is from Birmingham and played his high school golf at Mountain Brook High School, made the announcement Thursday morning.
“I am excited to announce that I’ll be returning to Vanderbilt for my senior year in 2024-25,” Gordon Sargent said. “It’s been an honor to represent this university alongside my teammates and coaches, and I look forward to continuing to compete – and further my education – at this amazing place that has given so much to me. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me on this journey and I’m excited for this final chapter at Vanderbilt.”
A return by Gordon Sargent to the college for one more year is a boost to the men’s college game after fellow Alabamian Nick Dunlap turned professional earlier this spring. He left the University of Alabama during his sophomore season after winning the PGA Tour’s American Express Championship while competing as an amateur.
“There’s not going to be a perfect answer,” Sargent told the PGA Tour. “After playing a few college events in the spring, I think you really appreciate how much you enjoy college golf. I’ve talked to Nick a little bit since he’s turned pro, and it’s one of those things where you’re only going to have four years in college. My dream is playing on the PGA Tour. With having the same status if I come back to school for one year, it was kind of a no-brainer. I can still take advantage of another year of school, be with my teammates, get my degree and continue to get better.
Most thought Gordon Sargent would leave school for PGA Tour
It was widely expected that Sargent would head to the PGA Tour upon completion of this year’s NCAA Men’s Golf Championship. He already holds a PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program, the first collegiate player to accomplish that feat.
Sargent, a two-time All-American, has won a program record six individual titles and has helped Vanderbilt collect an astounding 20 team championships.
Currently the No. 1-ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, Sargent recently won the Mason Rudolph Championship for the second-straight year. He has posted four top-five finishes during the 2023-24 season and holds a scoring average of 69.92 through eight collegiate tournaments. The All-American has carded under par in a team-best 17 rounds this season, while he was recently named a semifinalist for the Ben Hogan Award for the second-straight season earlier this week.
Sargent has been a star since the moment he stepped onto Vanderbilt’s campus. He won the 2022 NCAA national championship, making him the first Vanderbilt golfer to win a national title. He also became the first freshman to claim the NCAA individual title since 2007, after winning a four-way sudden-death playoff with a birdie on the first hole. The performance helped Sargent earn the 2022 GCAA Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award.
Sargent was named the 2022-23 GOLFWEEK National Player of the Year and was awarded the 2023 Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s top men’s amateur player. Additionally, he has been a finalist for the Ben Hogan Award, Jack Nicklaus Award, and Haskins Award. Last season, Sargent was named SEC Golfer of the Year, becoming the sixth Commodore to earn the distinction. In addition, he is also a two-time All-SEC first team selection and was named the 2022 SEC Freshman of the Year.
He was one of seven amateurs to play in the 2023 Masters Tournament, while he was the low amateur at the 2023 U.S. Open with a 284 four-round total.
In addition, Sargent has represented the United States multiple times on the international stage during his time at Vanderbilt. In September, he went a perfect 4-0-0 at the Walker Cup to help Team USA capture the title. He has competed at the World Amateur Team Championships twice and represented the U.S. at the 2022 Palmer Cup.
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Featured image courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics
