The reigning champion Blue Devils were able to force playoff holes to determine the outcome of the Callaway Collegiate Match Play tournament in Bradenton, Fla., but ultimately fell short of a championship at the hands of No. 1 seed Arkansas. Duke’s final round against the Razorbacks was neck-and-neck, but Arkansas ultimately proved victorious by winning three of five matches and halving one.
Junior Julian Suri was the lone Blue Devil to win his final match, defeating Ethan Tracy 5-3. Sophomore Brinson Paolini—who had won his previous seven matches played at this tournament—and junior Austin Cody, fell short in the championship round at the hands of Arkansas’ Sebastian Cappelen and Austin Cook, respectively.
But the team outcome was decided in playoff holes, when the Razorbacks’ Thomas Sorensen birdied the 18th hole to pull even with Tim Gornik, and Duke’s Yaroslav Merkulov and Arkansas’ Kolton Crawford were all square after 18 holes of play. Crawford was able to beat Merkulov after three extra holes, clinching the championship for the Razorbacks. Gornik and Sorensen were still at play at this point, so their match was considered halved.
“It’s not that we didn’t play well today,” Duke head coach Jamie Green said. “Arkansas just played a bit better.”
The outcome of the Blue Devils’ semifinal round against California Monday ultimately lay in the hands of Gornik, who was forced into a playoff hole after tying the Bears’ Keelan Kilpatrick through 18 holes. Since Gornik’s match was the last of the day, all the Blue Devils were there to watch and support their teammate in this high-pressure situation.
“Every one of our guys would have wanted to be in that position,” Green said. “They want that excitement. They want to be in that situation to get it done for the team.”
Since Gornik’s ball was measured to be slightly further from the hole than his opponent’s, he was forced to putt first. After reading his line just right, Gornik sunk the 35-foot putt.
“A play like that’ll get everybody riled up,” Green said. “There were some pumped fists and high fives…. But you still always seem to expect the other guy to make [his putt] too.
But Kilpatrick’s putt stopped short, sending the Blue Devils into the championship round to take on Arkansas.
“The guys just love [match play],” Green said. “There’s more of an immediacy to it.”
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