The No. 3 ranked Emory men's golf team got its season started on the right foot, winning the 2024 UAA Championship on Tuesday afternoon. Using match-play format, the Eagles started their quest for a banner yesterday with a 5-0 sweep over NYU before taking down the Rochester Yellowjackets in the Championship round today, 3-2. The event was played at Elks Run Golf Club in Cincinnati, Ohio.

This marks the 22^nd time in program history that the Eagles have won the UAA Championship, and the 224^th overall conference championship for Emory University. This is now the ninth time that the Eagles have won the UAA under Head Coach John Sjoberg, including having won seven of the last eight conference tournaments.

A trio of Eagles were recognized with UAA All-Tournament Team Honors as senior Michael Burry, junior Brian Hanson, and freshman Zach Pelzar were all awarded the distinction. Hanson, after a dominating couple of days, was also recognized as the UAA Tournament MVP.

Burry earned the first point of the day for the Eagles when he won his match in the No. 1 position. Rochester's Alvin Su took a quick 2-hole lead over Burry, winning the second and fourth holes. Yet, Burry battled back to tie his match back up after the seventh hole. The two remained tied until the 15^th, where Su took a one point lead heading into the final three holes. With his back against the wall, Burry rattled off wins on three consecutive holes to secure a 2Up win and Emory's first point of the day.

Hanson was exceptional playing in the No. 5 spot. The junior never trailed in his match, taking a lead on the fifth hole that he would not relinquish. Hanson finished his day with a 4&3 win, securing another point for the Eagles after needing just 15 holes to clinch his match.

Senior Tony Li dropped his match in the No. 2 position. Paired with Rochester's Gary Pan, Li fell behind early. He battled back in the late stages of the round but could not overcome the lead Pan had built, falling by one hole.

Sophomore Brady Lagendyk played in a back-and-forth match in the No. 4 position, trading blows for much of the day. He entered the final hole tied, but Rochester's Eddie Ren was able to win the 18^th and squeak out a win and the second point of the day for the Yellowjackets.

While the Yellowjackets did their best to climb their way back in, the rookie, Pelzar, shut the door on the UAA Championship. Pelzar took an early lead on his opponent, Galen Fowles, owning a two-hole lead heading into the back nine. Fowles battled and won the 11^th hole to come within one of Pelzar, but it was too little, too late. Taking a one-hole lead into the final three holes, the rookie remained even with his pairing to ensure the Eagles would come home with some hardware. In his first collegiate action, Pelzar secured the Championship-clinching point as he won his match 1UP.

The Eagles will have a couple of weeks off to celebrate before they are back on the course for the Flower City Invitational. The event will consist of 54 holes from September 22^nd-23^rd and hosted by St. John's Fisher at Midvale Country Club and Cobblestone Creek Golf Course in Penfeld, New York.