Gordon Sargent

For the rugby player, see Gordon Sargent (rugby union).

Gordon Sargent
Personal information
Born (2003-05-27) May 27, 2003 (age 21)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight175 lb (79 kg)
Sporting nationality United States
Career
CollegeVanderbilt University
StatusAmateur
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentCUT: 2023
PGA ChampionshipDNP
U.S. OpenT39: 2023
The Open ChampionshipCUT: 2024
Achievements and awards
Mark H. McCormack Medal2023

Gordon Sargent (born May 27, 2003) is an American amateur golfer who is currently attending Vanderbilt University. In 2022, he won the NCAA Division I Men's Individual Championship. He reached number 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking in February 2023, and in June he was the low amateur in the 2023 U.S. Open.[1]

Early life

Sargent was born on May 27, 2003, in Birmingham, Alabama and grew up in nearby Mountain Brook.[2][3] His father, Seth, was an amateur golfer who participated in events such as George C. Thomas Invitational and the Crump Cup.[4] Sargent's family were members of the Country Club of Birmingham and Shoal Creek Club. Sargent took a liking to golf at age nine when he participated in the Future Masters in Dothan, Alabama.[5] Sargent co-founded the Alabama Cup charity event, which raised more than $150,000 for the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Ace Grant and Alabama charities.[6]

Amateur career

Sargent won two AJGA events in his career, the 2017 Evitt Foundation RTC Junior All-Star and the 2018 TaylorMade/Adidas Golf Junior All-Star.[7][8] In 2019, Sargent won the Alabama Boys State Junior Championship.[9] In 2020, he became the youngest player to win the Alabama State Amateur in the modern era. He broke the tournament scoring record with a 24-under 264.[10] He repeated as Alabama State Amateur champion a year later.[11] Sargent attended Mountain Brook High School where he was a member of three AHSAA State Golf Championship teams and earned low medalist honors in two of those years.[12] In his senior year of high school, he was named the USA Today Male Golfer of the Year.[13] Sargent signed to play college golf at Vanderbilt University.[14]

In April 2022, Sargent won the Mossy Oak Collegiate for his first collegiate victory.[15] One month later, Sargent won the NCAA Division I Individual Championship after making birdie on the first hole of a four-man playoff. He became the ninth freshman to win the NCAA individual title.[16] Sargent received the Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award for the 2021-2022 season. He was also named SEC Freshman of the Year and selected to the All-SEC First Team.[17] Sargent was named First-team All-American by Ping and Golfweek.[18][19]

In January 2023, Sargent was awarded a special invitation to play in the 2023 Masters Tournament. He was the first amateur golfer to receive such an invitation since Aaron Baddeley in 2000.[20] He would end up missing the cut.[21] In February 2023, Sargent won the John Hayt Invitational, which resulted in him moving up to number 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.[22][23] In April 2023, Sargent won the Mason Rudolph Championship.[24] Sargent's accomplishments in his sophomore year resulted in him being named SEC and Golfweek player of the year and was once again named First-team All-American by Ping.[25][26][27]

In June 2023, Sargent successfully qualified for the U.S. Open,[28] where he made the cut and earned low amateur honors.[29] In August, he was awarded the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the leading player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.[30] In October, Sargent was a member of the American team that won the 2023 Eisenhower Trophy.[31]

Sargent earned PGA Tour membership through PGA Tour University Accelerated program after achieving the 20-point threshold.[32] He is eligible to take up the membership following the conclusion of 2024 NCAA Division I men's golf championship but decided to defer his membership and returned to Vanderbilt for his senior year.[33]

Amateur wins

  • 2019 Alabama State Junior Championship
  • 2020 Alabama State Amateur
  • 2021 Alabama State Amateur
  • 2022 Mossy Oak Collegiate, NCAA Division I Individual Championship
  • 2023 John Hayt Invitational, Mason Rudolph Championship

Source:[34]

Results in major championships

Tournament 2023 2024
Masters Tournament CUT
PGA Championship
U.S. Open T39LA CUT
The Open Championship CUT
  Did not play

LA = low amateur
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

U.S. national team appearances

Source:[34]

References

  1. ^ Huang, Christina (June 19, 2023). "U.S. Open: Gordon Sargent wins low am, despite 18th hole blunder". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  2. ^ "Gordon Sargent accepts Masters invite". Alabama Golf News. January 5, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  3. ^ Stansell, Jake (January 5, 2023). "Mountain Brook native Gordon Sargent accepts invitation to Masters Tournament". WSFA.com. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  4. ^ Tremlett, Sam (April 6, 2023). "9 Things You Didn't Know About Gordon Sargent". Golf Monthly. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  5. ^ Perez, Jordan (January 18, 2023). "No Joke, Gordon Sargent Is Headed to the Masters". The Fire Pit Collective. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  6. ^ Thompson, Ian (November 18, 2018). "Junior Golf members create Alabama Cup for charity". The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  7. ^ Smiddie, Kelley (June 9, 2017). "Gordon Sargent, Leila Raines win junior golf tournament at WindStone". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  8. ^ "Sargent earns second career AJGA victory". American Junior Golf Association. April 2, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  9. ^ "Gordon Sargent Marches to Victory at Alabama Boys State Junior Championship". Alabama Golf Association. July 25, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  10. ^ "Gordon Sargent Shatters Score Record at the 104th Alabama Men's State Amateur Championship". Alabama Golf Association. August 1, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  11. ^ "Gordon Sargent Wins Back-to-Back at 105th Alabama State Amateur Champion". Alabama Golf Association. June 12, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  12. ^ Rubin E, Grant (May 18, 2021). "Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills Boys, Spain Park Girls Claim State Golf Crowns". Over the Mountain Journal. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  13. ^ Woodard, Adam (August 10, 2021). "USA Today Sports Male Golfer of the Year Gordon Sargent hopes strong showing at U.S. Amateur propels him to success at Vanderbilt". Golfweek. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  14. ^ "College golf signing day: Class of 2021 men's and women's signees". Golfweek. November 11, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  15. ^ Young, Jim (April 13, 2022). "Vanderbilt rolls into postseason after win at Mossy Oak". AmateurGolf.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  16. ^ Marshall, John (May 30, 2022). "Vanderbilt freshman Sargent wins NCAA title in playoff". Associated Press News. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  17. ^ "Sargent named Recipient of 2022 NCAA Division I Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award presented by StrackaLine". Golf Coaches Association of America. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  18. ^ "2022 Division I PING All-American Teams Finalized". Golf Coaches Association of America. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  19. ^ Woodard, Adam (June 20, 2022). "Golfweek's 2021-22 men's college golf All-Americans". Golfweek. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  20. ^ Ferguson, Doug (January 5, 2023). "Masters awards exemption to NCAA champion Gordon Sargent". Associated Press News. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  21. ^ Turrentine, Caleb (April 8, 2023). "Gordon Sargent finishes 9-over, misses cut in first trip to Augusta". WBMA-LD. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  22. ^ Romine, Brentley (February 7, 2023). "Gordon Sargent dominates as Vanderbilt rolls in spring opener". Golf Channel. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  23. ^ "Gordon Sargent becomes World No. 1 Amateur, improves position in PGA Tour University Accelerated". PGA Tour. February 15, 2023. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  24. ^ Jourdan, Cameron (April 13, 2023). "Sam Bennett's warm welcome home, Gordon Sargent dominates and Rose Zhang returns to action among highlights from past week of college golf". Golfweek. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  25. ^ "2023 SEC Men's Golf awards announced". Southeastern Conference. May 11, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  26. ^ Jourdan, Cameron (June 9, 2023). "Stanford's Rose Zhang, Vanderbilt's Gordon Sargent win Golfweek's 2022-23 Player of the Year honors". Golfweek. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  27. ^ "2023 NCAA Division I PING All-America Teams Finalized". Golf Coaches Association of America. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  28. ^ "U.S. Open Final Qualifying 2023: Who's in, who's out and everything you need to know from 'Golf's Longest Day'". Golf Digest. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  29. ^ Basena, Julian (June 18, 2023). "Vanderbilt's Gordon Sargent finishes low amateur at US Open". The Tennessean. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  30. ^ Woodard, Adam (August 23, 2023). "Gordon Sargent wins Mark H. McCormack Medal as world's best male amateur golfer". Golfweek. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  31. ^ Jourdan, Cameron (October 21, 2023). "United States runs away with Men's World Amateur Team Championship title". Golfweek. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  32. ^ "Gordon Sargent earns PGA Tour membership via PGA Tour University Accelerated". PGA Tour. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  33. ^ "Gordon Sargent will defer his PGA Tour card, return to Vanderbilt for senior season". Golfweek. April 18, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  34. ^ a b "Gordon Sargent". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved May 6, 2023.