Texas men’s golfer Pierceson Coody wins Western Amateur

Rising Texas Longhorns junior Pierceson Coody continued his strong play this summer with a victory in the 118th Western Amateur at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Indiana.

Coody survived the seven day event by defeating Oklahoma State’s Rasmus Neegaard-Petersen in the match-play championship Saturday with a 2&1 victory.

“I am really at a loss for words,” Coody told the media after sinking a 20-footer for par on the 17th green to close out Neergaard-Petersen.

The Western Amateur field consists of 156 invited players who played four rounds of stroke-play which was cut to the 44 lowest scores with ties after the 2nd round. After the fourth round, the field was cut down to 16 players who then battled it out in match-play format over the final two days.

Coody was joined by fellow teammates Cole Hammer and Travis Vick to make the cut, but only Coody qualified for the Sweet Sixteen after a total score of four-under-par through 72 holes. Coody tore through the bracket to advance to the championship and opened the match with a birdie on the first hole and never looked back.

Down by one entering the 17th hole, Neergaard-Petersen missed a five-foot putt for par to extend the match after Coody sunk his 20-footer.

“That’s match play,” Coody said. “His putt became a lot longer and a lot harder. He knew if he missed, it’s the end of the game.”

Coody is the seventh Longhorn to win the Western Amateur, including current teammate Cole Hammer, who won the event in 2018.

Currently ranked 16th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Coody will certainly move up after his victory. Hammer is also ranked 12th. Both will now prepare for the 2020 U.S. Amateur that will begin on Aug. 10 where they will be joined by Travis Vick and Pierceson’s brother Parker Coody.

Pierceson isn’t the only Longhorn to be in-form this summer, with Travis Vick finishing runner-up at Sunnehanna Amateur two weeks ago and Hammer finishing tied for 21st. The Texas men’s golf team was playing excellent golf before the season was canceled and had climbed to No. 4 in the rankings. If the 2020-21 season goes ahead as planned, look out for the Longhorns and Coach Fields to add another National Championship to the trophy case.