The Virginia men’s golf team finished in second place at the ACC Championship on April 25, advancing to match play for the second consecutive year and third time in six seasons. The Cavaliers posted a total score of 860 (4-under par) over three rounds, securing one of eight spots in Sunday’s match play quarterfinals.
This achievement allows Virginia to compete against Louisville on April 26, with the winner set to face either Clemson or North Carolina later that day. The championship final is scheduled for Monday and will be broadcast live on ACCNX.
Virginia maintained its position throughout the tournament, starting and ending Saturday in second place after shooting a final-round score of 291. Under Tony Markel Family Men’s Head Golf Coach Bowen Sargent, this marks the fifth time since 2004 that Virginia has finished first or second in the ACC Championship stroke competition. Last year, Virginia won its first ever ACC title by winning three straight matches following a first-place finish in stroke play.
Senior Ben James led Virginia individually with a score of six under par (210), finishing tied for fifth overall after birdieing his last two holes. This was his ninth top-five finish this season and his third top-five result at an ACC Championship during his college career. First-year player Michael Lee recorded an even-par round on Saturday to tie for 22nd place—his score was the lowest by a UVA freshman since James’ performance in 2023. Paul Chang also achieved his ninth top-20 finish of the season by finishing even for the tournament.
With their runner-up performance at this event, Virginia also earned a point toward their lead in the Smithfield Commonwealth Clash rivalry series against Virginia Tech.
