Gulf Shores is a mecca for golfers and Auburn graduates alike. Today they all have something to cheer about!

As reported by NCAA News, Auburn edged Florida State, 3-2, winning the team national championship for the first time in school history on the North Course at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. Throughout No. 1 Auburn's march to the program's first national championship, head coach Nick Clinard reminded his team and its followers after each step that the assignment remained incomplete. There was more to be done and more to be won.

With both teams vying for the first team national championship in school history, it came down to the fifth match of the day between Auburn senior J.M. Butler and Florida State sophomore Luke Clanton. Butler never trailed in the close match and clinched the national championship on hole No. 17 as both he and Clanton had pars. Clanton came close to chipping in for birdie on the hole, but his chip shot from off the green hit the cup and bounced away. Butler then lagged a putt within inches of the cup as the match was conceded, with Butler winning 2&1.

“I was just focused on what I had to do,” said Butler. “I tried not to get caught up in what he was doing. Luke (Clanton) is a fantastic player and I knew it’d be a tough match today. It’s something I’ve trained for my entire life. All those lonely hours out on the range and just trying to figure it out. All I had to do was get out of my own way. I just believed it was my destiny. I always knew I was going to work as hard as I can every single day. It didn’t matter what was in front of me as long as I had my teammates, that was all I needed.”

“There’s no words for it, you can’t say ‘I’ve been there before’ or ‘it will be okay,’ they don’t want to hear that,” said Florida State head coach Trey Jones. “You only get so many chances at a national championship. You’re very fortunate and blessed to have the opportunity to win one, but it didn’t go our way. They are hard to win, and golf is hard. It’s a game if you win two or three times on the PGA Tour, you’ve had an incredible year. It just didn’t go our way today. This group of seniors just finished fifth, 20th, third and second. There’s not a whole lot of classes in the history of college golf that have had a better run. And we will definitely reflect on that.”

A few members of the City of Gulf Shores staff and maybe even the Mayor might have even bigger smiles today!