Gordon Sargent selected for World Amateur Team Championship, nears PGA TOUR card
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Would reach 20-point threshold on PGA TOUR University Accelerated by competing at WATC and Walker Cup
The accolades keep coming for Gordon Sargent – and they’ve all but assured him a PGA TOUR card.
The rising Vanderbilt junior has been named to the upcoming USA Team for the World Amateur Team Championship, to be contested at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Oct. 18-21, the USGA announced Wednesday. By playing at the World Amateur Team Championship, Sargent will receive 1 point on PGA TOUR Accelerated, in addition to the 2 points he’ll receive for competing at the Walker Cup in September (he was named to the USA Team in June).
The upshot is as such: Sargent, who currently holds 17 points in PGA TOUR University Accelerated, would reach 20 points by competing at the Walker Cup and WATC, thereby assuring a PGA TOUR card (if he chooses to accept) after the 2023-24 collegiate season.
Sargent would then become the first player to earn TOUR membership via PGA TOUR University Accelerated, and the first to earn a TOUR card on collegiate merit prior to senior year. This spring, Texas Tech’s Ludvig Aberg became the first player to earn a TOUR card as No. 1 on the 2023 PGA TOUR University Ranking, after completing his senior season.
Sargent earned his 17th point in PGA TOUR Accelerated with a made cut at last week’s John Deere Classic, where he finished T57. He also received a point for making the cut at the U.S. Open (T39), in addition to a point each for competing at the Masters and U.S. Open.
Gordon Sargent plays a beautiful tee shot to set up birdie at John Deere
The Alabama native has also received PGA TOUR University Accelerated points as follows: Featuring as No. 1 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (5), competing at 2023 Palmer Cup (1), 2022 Palmer Cup (1), 2022 World Amateur Team Championship (1), 2022 NCAA Division I individual champion (3) and 2022 Division I Outstanding Freshman (2).
Sargent earned his World Amateur Team Championship selection as the top-ranked male on the World Amateur Golf Ranking as of June 21. The 2023 U.S. Amateur winner and McCormack Medal winner will each receive automatic spots (if American); any final team selections and alternates will be finalized after the U.S. Amateur.
Sargent could also reach 20 points before the WATC, as well, with a victory at the Western Amateur (2 points, July 31-Aug. 5) or U.S. Amateur (3 points, Aug. 14-20). The Walker Cup will be contested Sept. 1-3, followed by the WATC.
PGA TOUR University's Gordon Sargent on TOUR players who have given him advice
It’s the continuation of a sparkling year for the long-hitting 20-year-old, who was named 2023 SEC Player of the Year as a sophomore, including eight top-five finishes, before earning low amateur honors at the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
Sargent was also named a semifinalist Wednesday for the AAU James E. Sullivan Award, which honors an outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. Past award recipients include Bobby Jones, Carl Lewis, Peyton Manning, Michael Phelps and Tim Tebow.
The World Amateur Team Championship is a biennial competition conducted by the International Golf Federation, featuring 72 holes of stroke play. In each round, the total of the two lowest scores by the three players from each team constitutes the team score for that round. The four-day total is the team’s score for the championship.
The 2023 event will be the first to be held in an odd-numbered year, to avoid conflicting with the Summer Olympic Games. Sargent helped the USA Team to a bronze medal at last year’s World Amateur Team Championship in Paris.