Honors & Awards
- Gopher Invitational Champion (2024)
- Nebraska Sophomore Tournament Record (208, Gopher Invitational, 2024)
- Big Ten Golfer of the Week (Sept. 12, 2024)
- NCAA Division II GCAA All-Freshman Team (2024)
- NCAA Division II PING All-South Central Region (2024)
- NCAA Division II West/South Central Super Regional Individual Qualifier (2024)
- Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Year (Men's Golf, 2024)
- Cameron University Freshman of the Year (All Sports, 2024)
Sophomore (2024-25)
One of the top newcomers in NCAA Division II in 2023-24, Rudy Sautron produced the most impressive career-opening performance in Nebraska history by tying the Husker sophomore 54-hole record with a 208 (-5) on his way to an individual tournament title at the season-opening Gopher Invitational (Sept. 8-9).
Sautron held off Noah Kumar from Rutgers by one stroke on the par-71, 7,586-yard layout at the Windsong Farm Golf Club in Independence, Minn., to help Nebraska to a third-place team finish in a strong 15-team field. Sautron's effort in Minnesota included a first-round eagle on No. 18, helping him finish with three consecutive rounds better than par (69-70-69) on his way to matching Brady Schnell (2004-05) and Seth Porter (1999-2000) for the best score by a sophomore (208) in Nebraska history.
Sautron was named the Big Ten Golfer of the Week (Sept. 12) for his performance in Minnesota. He followed with a 221 (+8) to tie for 38th at Nebraska's Git-R-Done Invitational (Sept. 23-24). He was NU's No. 4 finisher in the lineup with rounds of 71, 75 and 75 on the par-71, 7,003-yard layout at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln.
He owns a 71.50 stroke average over six rounds in 2024-25.
A Golf Coaches Association of America Division II All-Freshman Team member in 2023-24, Sautron joined the Huskers for the 2024-25 season after signing with Nebraska in early March. The former vice champion of France produced eight top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments as a freshman at Cameron University in Oklahoma.
“Rudy is a strong young player and a great student,” Nebraska Head Coach Judd Cornell said. “He has a year of college golf under his belt, so that experience should help him moving forward to Division I golf. I’m very excited to watch him develop the next three years and gain experience at the highest level. He has all the skills to be a phenomenal player.”
Sautron claimed one of five spots on the NCAA Division II All-Freshman Team selected by the GCAA after qualifying as an individual to the NCAA Division II West/South Central Super Regional. He was also named to the Division II PING All-South Central Region team.
Sautron followed former Cameron golfer Hamish Murray to Nebraska, after Murray joined the Huskers for the 2023-24 season. Murray led the Big Red with a 72.69 stroke average over 29 rounds in his first season. Sautron and Murray were not teammates at Cameron.
Before Nebraska (Cameron, 2023-24)
Sautron was named the Cameron University Freshman of the Year across all sports in his lone season at the school. The Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Year also claimed one of five spots on the GCAA NCAA Division II All-Freshman Team for his play throughout the season. Sautron qualified as an individual to the NCAA Division II West/South Central Super Regional and was a member of the PING Division II All-South Central Region team. Sautron tied for 42nd individually at the Super Regional with a three-round total of 219 (+6), including rounds of 73, 75 and 71 on the par-71, 7,242-yard layout of the University of New Mexico Golf Course in Las Cruces (May 9-11).
Sautron took third at the Lone Star Championships with a 54-hole score of 210 (-6) on a 7,157-yard, par-72 layout at the WinStar Golf Club in Thackerville, Okla. (April 22-23). Sautron fired back-to-back rounds of 69 (-3) to open the tournament before adding an even-par 72 in the final round. His conference championship finish marked his eighth top-10 showing of the season, including four top-five performances.
Sautron, who finished in the top 10 individually in all five of Cameron’s fall tournaments, won the Hrnciar Tournament at the Territory Golf Club in Duncan, Okla. (Oct. 16-17), firing a seven-under-par 209 through three rounds, including an opening-round 66 (-6).
He fired a career-best 65 (-7) in the first round of the GAC Preview at Lake Hefner North Golf Club in Oklahoma City. He finished in a tie for ninth at 208 (-8) to help Cameron to a team championship. He shot a 207 (-9), including a second-round 67 (-5) to tie for sixth individually at the Missouri Southern State Men’s Fall Invitational at the Shangri-La Country Club in Monkey Island, Okla. (Sept. 25-26).
Sautron followed with a third-place finish at three-under-par over two rounds (69-70) at the Ryan Palmer Foundation Invitational at the Amarillo Country Club (Oct. 2-3). He closed the fall with a tie for ninth individually with an even-par 213 (71-68-74) at the Copperhead Championship at the Innisbrook Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Fla. (Oct. 23-24).
After struggling to a tie for 45th at 234 (+18) at the Houston Classic (Feb. 12-13), Sautron bounced back with another top-five finish at the Midwestern State Invitational on a 6,882-yard, par-71 course at the Wichita Falls Country Club in Texas (March 25-26). He posted a three-round total of 215 (+2) that included rounds of 73, 74 and 68 (-3).
He added his sixth top-10 finish in seven collegiate events with an eighth-place finish at the Rattler Invitational at the Dominion Country Club in San Antonio, Texas (Feb. 19-20). He finished with a three-round total of 217 (+1).
Sautron notched his seventh top-25 showing with a 23rd-place finish with a 226 (+16) at the Oak Tree Invitational in Edmond, Okla. (March 18-19), where he managed rounds of 73, 75 and 78 on a par-70, 7,116-yard course at the Oak Tree Country Club, before closing the regular season with a tie for 28th with a 215 (-1) at the RJGA Palm Valley Classic in Goodyear, Ariz. (April 8-9), including rounds of 73, 72 and 70 (-2) on a 7,015-yard layout at Palm Valley.
Over 32 rounds (2,297 strokes, +6) in his first collegiate season, Sautron posted a 71.78 stroke average. In his 11 tournaments, he played 16 of his 32 rounds better than par.
Personal
The son of David and Marie Sautron, Rudy was born Aug. 12, 2005. He has a sister, Mathilde. He has not declared a major at Nebraska.
Career Statistics (Nebraska)
Year | Rounds | Strokes | Average |
2024-25 | 6 | 429 | 71.50 |
Totals | 6 | 429 | 71.50 |
Nebraska Career Bests
Best Tournament Finish - 1st (Gopher Invitational, 2024)
Low 54-hole score - 208 (Gopher Invitational, 2024)
Low Round - 69 (1st & 3rd, Gopher Invitational, 2024)
Career Rounds Under Par - 3
Career Statistics (Cameron - NCAA Division II)
Year | Rounds | Strokes | Average |
2022-23 | 32 | 2,297 | 71.78 |
Totals | 32 | 2,297 | 71.78 |
Cameron Career Bests
Best Tournament Finish - 1st (Hrnciar, 2023)
Low 54-hole score - 207 (Missouri Southern State, 2023)
Low Round - 65 (GAC Preview, 2023)
Career Rounds Under Par - 16