The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Sahalee Players Championship
No. 1 Men’s Golf preview: Sahalee Players Championship
09.04.2025 | Men's Golf
The Longhorns compete at Sahalee Country Club on Saturday and Sunday.
When: Saturday, Sept. 6 – Sunday, Sept. 7
Format: 36 holes of stroke play on Saturday, 18 holes on Sunday
Where: Sahalee Country Club (Sammamish, Wash.)
Course Info: Par-72; 7,003 yards
Live Scoring: https://scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/238821/scoring/team
Tournament Notes
Texas in the Polls: Texas is No. 1 in Golf Channel's Preseason Top 30 rankings. The Longhorns are No. 3 in preseason Bushnell/Golfweek Division I Coaches poll and No. 3 in the preseason Golfweek rankings.
The Tourney Field: The 12-team field at the Sahalee Players Championship includes (rankings reflect the Golf Channel Preseason Top 30): No. 1 TEXAS, No. 4 Florida, No. 12 Arizona State, No. 15 Pepperdine, No. 18 North Carolina, No. 19 Arizona, Northwestern, Oregon, San Diego State, UCLA, Washington (host) and the USGA Junior National Team.
Morrison Competing at Walker Cup: Senior Tommy Morrison will not be present for the team's opener at the Sahalee Players Championship, as he is one of 10 players who will be competing for the 2025 USA Walker Cup Team on Sept. 6-7 at Cypress Point Club (Pebble Beach, Calif.). The 50th Walker Cup Match will be played over two days with 18 singles matches and eight foursomes (alternate-shot) matches. Morrison is joined on the 10-player USA squad by Jackson Koivun, Ben James, Michael La Sasso, Ethan Fang, Preston Stout, Stewart Hagestad, Mason Howell, Jacob Modleski and Jase Summy. Morrison is the 12th player in Texas program history to compete for Team USA in the prestigious event. Previous Longhorns to play in the Walker Cup include: Ed White (1936), Tom Kite (1971), Justin Leonard (1993), Brad Elder (1997), David Gossett (1999), Jordan Spieth (2011), Beau Hossler (2015), Doug Ghim (2017), Scottie Scheffler (2017), Cole Hammer (2019 and 2021) and Pierceson Coody (2021).
Preseason Individual Honors: A quartet of Longhorns were named to Golf Channel's preseason All-America teams, including Christiaan Maas (first team), Tommy Morrison (first team), Daniel Bennett (second team) and Luke Potter (honorable mention). Three Texas players were named to Golfweek's preseason All-America teams, including Christiaan Maas (first team), Tommy Morrison (first team) and Daniel Bennett (second team). In addition, a trio of Longhorns were named to the Fred Haskins Award Preseason Watch List, including Daniel Bennett, Christiaan Maas and Tommy Morrison. Texas and Oklahoma State are the only two schools to have three representatives named to the 25-player Haskins Award preseason watch list.
Trio in Top 10 of PGA TOUR University Class of 2026: Three Texas seniors earned spots in the top 10 of the PGA TOUR University Class of 2026 Preseason Ranking. Christiaan Maas was tabbed at No. 2 and followed by Tommy Morrison at No. 4 and Luke Potter at No. 7. Texas is the ONLY school to have multiple players in the top 10 of the PGA TOUR University preseason ranking. Introduced in 2020, PGA TOUR University identifies the best players in collegiate golf and provides membership opportunities on PGA TOUR-affiliated tours. In partnership with the World Amateur Golf Ranking, PGA TOUR U ranks players based on the last two years of their collegiate careers. The ranking period for the Class of 2026 began in Week 23 of 2024 and concludes on June 1, 2026, following the final round of stroke play at the 2026 NCAA Championship. The No. 1 player in the final PGA TOUR University Ranking next June will earn PGA TOUR membership. Players ranked No. 2-10 will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2026, and players ranked No. 11-25 will earn exempt membership for PGA TOUR Americas Segment II in 2026.
2024-25 in REVIEW: Texas claimed FIVE team titles and 10 top-three finishes in its 13 stroke-play events during the 2024-25 season. The Longhorns were even more impressive in the spring with five team wins, a runner-up finish and a pair of third-place showings in their 10 tournament appearances. The Longhorns concluded the year with a tie for fifth place at the 2025 NCAA Championships, as they advanced to the NCAA Match Play quarterfinals. UT earned team championships at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 27-29), The Hayt (Mar. 8-10), the Valspar Collegiate Invitational (Mar. 24-25) and The Ford Collegiate (April 14-15) and shared the team title at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 5-6). The Longhorns finished runner-up at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational (Sept. 30-Oct. 1) and Pauma Valley Invitational (Mar. 17-18) and placed third at the Folds of Honor Collegiate (Sept. 9-11), the Amer Ari Invitational (Feb. 6-8) and the NCAA Reno Regional (May 12-14). In addition, Texas placed second at the four-team NB3 MatchPlay in October.
Longest Active NCAA Championship Streak: UT's streak of 18 consecutive NCAA Championship appearances is the longest current streak in NCAA Division I men's golf. Here's a look at the longest active NCAA Championship appearances entering the 2025-26 season.
|
Number of Consecutive NCAA Championship Appearances |
School |
|
18 |
TEXAS |
|
14 |
Oklahoma |
|
11 |
Vanderbilt |
Advancing to Match Play: Not only has Texas been a mainstay in advancing to the NCAA Championships, it also has consistently produced strong results while at the national championship. In the last 13 opportunities (dating back to the 2012 NCAA Championships), UT has advanced to the Match Play quarterfinals stage (final eight teams) a total of EIGHT times. Texas is one of just TWO schools (joined by Illinois) to advance to Match Play at least eight times in the last 13 opportunities (2020 tourney was canceled due to COVID-19).
|
NCAA Match Play Appearances in Last 13 Championships (2012-25) |
School |
|
8 (2012-13-15-16-18-19-22-25) |
TEXAS |
|
8 (2013-14-15-16-17-21-23-24) |
Illinois |
|
7 (2016-17-18-19-21-22-25) |
Oklahoma |
|
7 (2014-17-18-19-21-22-25) |
Oklahoma State |
|
7 (2015-16-17-19-21-22-24) |
Vanderbilt |
The Fields Factor: Now in his 29th season as head coach at Texas, John Fields has guided the Longhorns to 23 NCAA Championship appearances in his 27 opportunities (no NCAA tourney in 2020 due to COVID-19). Under Fields' leadership, UT has posted 11 top-five and 17 top-15 finishes at the NCAA Championship, including NCAA team titles in 2012 and 2022 and runner-up showings in 2016 and 2019. Prior to his time at Texas, Fields led the University of New Mexico to nine NCAA Championship appearances in 10 seasons (1988-97). He has earned Golfweek's National Coach of the Year honors three times (2012, 2016 and 2022) and Big 12 Coach of the Year accolades nine times (2002, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2022) during his tenure at Texas. Fields was inducted into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor in 2024.
Horns and the PGA TOUR: In the 99-year history of the Texas Men's Golf program, the Longhorns have recorded 111 official PGA TOUR victories by 17 different individuals. These include 12 Major championships by six different players (Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Mark Brooks, Justin Leonard, Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler).
The Texas Lineup: UT will be represented by the following six players at the Sahalee Players Championship:
- Christiaan Maas (Sr.)
- Matt Comegys (Gr.)
- Daniel Bennett (So.)
- Luke Potter (Sr.)
- Jack Gilbert (Jr.)
IND) Adam Villanueva (Fr.)
Inside the Texas Lineup
Christiaan Maas: No. 8 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Sept. 4) … No. 2 in the PGA TOUR University Class of 2026 Preseason Ranking … three-time All-American at Texas … one of five finalists for the 2025 Division I Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year Award presented by Workday … one of 10 finalists for the 2025 Fred Haskins Award presented by Stifel … one of 10 semifinalists for the 2025 Ben Hogan Award … 2025 second-team All-America selection by PING/GCAA … 2025 third-team All-America pick by Golfweek … 2025 first-team All-SEC selection … named to the 2025 PING All-Central Region team … one of five finalists for the 2025 Gary Player Award for Division I given to the most outstanding collegiate golfer from outside the United States … advanced to the Round of 32 at the 2025 U.S. Amateur … tied for sixth at the 2025 St. Andrews Links Trophy (June 6-8) with an 11-under 277 (69-67-73-68) … SEC Men's Co-Golfer of the Week (Mar. 19, 2025) … registered a 70.40 scoring average over 40 rounds and boasted one individual victory, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes in his 13 stroke-play appearances during the 2024-25 season … 29 of his 40 rounds were par or better, including a team-best 18 rounds in the 60s last year … earned his second career collegiate win at the 2025 Pauma Valley Invitational (Mar. 17-18) with a 9-under 204 (68-70-66) to post a one-shot win over LSU's Algot Kleen … tied for third at the 2025 SEC Championship (April 23-25) with a 9-under 201 (66-67-68) … recorded a tie for fourth place at the 2025 Investec South African Open Championship (Feb. 27-Mar. 2) at Durban Country Club in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa while competing as an amateur in the DP World Tour event … carded a 54-hole score of 12-under 204 (70-64-70) to finish just two strokes off the individual lead … claimed the Freddie Tait Cup as the low amateur at the South African Open Championship for the second time, as he previously claimed low amateur honors at the 2022 South African Open.
Matt Comegys: No. 97 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Sept. 4) … competed in the Sunnehanna Amateur, Northeast Amateur, North & South Amateur, Southern Amateur, Western Amateur and U.S. Amateur in the summer of 2025 … spent his previous three years at Texas Tech and earned his undergraduate degree in May 2025 … took a medical redshirt in 2024-25 while recovering from left wrist surgery … in his sophomore year at Texas Tech in 2023-24, he earned PING All-Central Team honors and tied for second on the team in scoring average (71.8) … 2024 GCAA All-American Scholar and 2024 Academic All-Big 12 selection … competed in 12 of the team's 13 events as a sophomore and recorded three top-10 finishes and seven top-20 showings … 19 of his 37 rounds were par or better, including nine rounds in the 60s in 2023-24 … registered a season-best tie for fourth at the Amer Ari Intercollegiate with a 17-under 199 (63-68-68) … consensus top-ranked player in the state of Texas in the Class of 2022 and ranked in the top 10 nationally by Junior Golf Scoreboard and GolfWeekly … attended Plano West Senior High School (Plano, Texas) and won the 2022 Class 6A UIL Texas state individual title as a senior … two-time UIL Texas regional champion (2021 and 2022) … qualified for the 2022 U.S. Amateur and advanced to the Round of 16 in match play at the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur … recorded multiple wins on the Legends Junior Golf Tour.
Daniel Bennett: No. 24 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Sept. 4) … claimed the 2025 Division I Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award by StrackaLine, honoring the National Freshman of the Year … became the fifth Longhorn in program history to win the Mickelson Award, joining Cole Hammer (2019), Scottie Scheffler (2015), Brandon Stone (2013) and David Gossett (1999) … 2025 Division I PING first-team All-America choice … second-team All-America pick by Golfweek … 2025 SEC Freshman of the Year … 2025 first-team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team selection … named to the 2025 PING All-Central Region team … one of five finalists for the 2025 Gary Player Award for Division I given to the most outstanding collegiate golfer from outside the United States … competed for the winning Team International squad at the 2025 Arnold Palmer Cup on June 5-7 at Congaree Golf Club (Ridgeland, S.C.) ... advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2025 U.S. Amateur … also participated in The Amateur, the European Amateur and the Western Amateur in the summer of 2025 … SEC Men's Freshman of the Week (April 16, 2025) … registered a team-best 70.00 scoring average and boasted a pair of individual runner-up finishes, four top-three showings, five top-10 finishes and placed in the top-16 in eight of his 11 stroke-play events during the 2024-25 season … 24 of his 34 rounds were par or better, including 15 rounds in the 60s last year … tied for second at the 2025 Valspar Collegiate Invitational (Mar. 24-25) with a 16-under 197 (64-67-66) … posted his collegiate-low 18-hole score of 7-under 64 in the opening round of the 2025 Valspar Collegiate (Mar. 24) … tied for second at the 2025 Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 27-29) with a 4-under 209 (72-70-67) … competed in the 2025 Jones Cup Invitational (Jan. 10-12) at Ocean Forest Golf Club … participated in the 2024 Alfred Dunhill Championship on the DP World Tour (Dec. 12-15) in South Africa … competed in the 2024 Spirit International for Team South Africa (Nov. 14-16) at Whispering Pines Golf Club.
Luke Potter: No. 33 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Sept. 4) … No. 7 in the PGA TOUR University Class of 2026 Preseason Ranking … earned a spot on the 2025 PING All-Central Region team … competed in The Amateur, the European Amateur, the Southern Amateur, the Western Amateur and the U.S. Amateur in the summer of 2025 … registered a 70.95 scoring average and placed in the top-20 in seven of his 13 stroke-play appearances during the 2024-25 season … 25 of his 40 rounds were par or better, including 13 rounds in the 60s last year … claimed his first career collegiate individual victory at The 2025 Hayt with a 10-under 206 (71-66-69) … tied for third at the 2025 NCAA Reno Regional (May 12-14) with a 6-under 210 (71-71-68) … tied for sixth at the 2024 OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 20-21) with a 3-under 207 (68-68-71) … tied for 10th at the 2025 Amer Ari Invitational (Feb. 6-8) with a 14-under 202 (69-68-65) … tallied a season-best 7-under 65 in the final round of the 2025 Amer Ari (Feb. 8) … tied for 14th at The 2025 Ford Collegiate (April 14-15) with a 3-over 213 (74-69-70) … participated in the 2025 Jones Cup Invitational (Jan. 10-12) at Ocean Forest Golf Club … … enrolled at Texas prior the 2024 fall semester … spent his previous two seasons at Arizona State.
Jack Gilbert: No. 226 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Sept. 4) … competed in all 14 events and recorded a 72.63 scoring average over 40 rounds during the 2024-25 season … registered one top-10 finish and four top-20 efforts last year … 17 of his 40 rounds were par or better, including six rounds in the 60s in 2024-25 … competed in The Amateur, the European Amateur, the Western Amateur and the U.S. Amateur in the summer of 2025 … posted a collegiate-best tie for eighth at the 2025 Valspar Collegiate Invitational (Mar. 24-25) with an 8-under 205 (67-68-70) … registered a career-low 18-hole score of 4-under 67 in the opening round of the 2025 Valspar Collegiate (Mar. 24) … top individual performer for the Longhorns at the 2025 NCAA Championship (May 23-26) with his tie for 18th at even-par 288 (72-73-72-71) … tied for 15th at the 2025 Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 5-6) with a 2-under 214 (73-70-71) … tied for 19th at the 2024 Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational (Sept. 30-Oct. 1) with a 3-over 213 (73-68-72).
Adam Villanueva: Will compete as an individual in the Sahalee Players Championship … top-ranked player in the state of Texas in the Class of 2025 and ranked No. 5 nationally by Junior Golf Scoreboard … advanced to the Round of 32 at the 2025 U.S. Junior Amateur … also competed in the Trans-Mississippi Amateur and Southern Amateur in the summer of 2025 … attended Westlake High School (Austin, Texas) … posted a team-best 68.22 stroke average as a senior while leading Westlake to the 2025 Class 6A state championship … finished third individually at the state championship and won the District 26-6A individual title in his senior season while being named the Boys Golfer of the Year in Central Texas by the Austin American-Statesman … earned 2024 Rolex AJGA honorable mention All-America accolades … claimed a runner-up finish at the 2024 Texas Junior Amateur … placed fifth at the 2024 Byron Nelson Junior Championship … won the 2023 Class 6A state individual title while leading Westlake to the team championship in his sophomore season … claimed the individual title at the 2023 Mizuno Junior Championship with a 54-hole score of 207 (65-71-71).
Players Mentioned
