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Top-ranked Oklahoma State among 30 teams advancing to the NCAA Men's Championship, one step closer to school first
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Survive and advance is the motto of every men’s team that qualified for the NCAA Regionals. It’s easier said than done. Just ask Georgia Tech coach Bruce Heppler. In his 24 years with the Yellow Jackets, Heppler’s charges have never missed out making it to Regionals. But for the past three years, his teams have disappointing ended their seasons early by failing finish in the top five. That streak ended on Wednesday when Tech traveled across country to Pullman, Wash., and finished fourth, one little stroke ahead of the final spot.
“It’s nice to be on the right side of this for a change,” Heppler said. “They’ve grown up, and maybe a year ago we don’t play like that coming in. I’m proud of them that we got through this hurdle, and now we can go prepare for the national championship.”
By and large, the top seeds in each of the six Regionals held form, earning a spot at the NCAA Championship at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Ark., May 23-29. Seven schools seeded high enough at Regionals to be "expected" to advance to nationals failed to move on, and only one team in the Golfstat top 15 (Texas Tech) saw its season come to a premature end on Wednesday.
One school that didn’t have to sweat out whether they’d advance to the NCAA Championship is 2018 winner Oklahoma State. The Cowboys cruised to victory at the University of Louisville G.C., their 14th Regional title in history, winning by four strokes with a closing seven-under 277. It’s the 72nd time OSU will be playing for the national title as they try for the first time to win in consecutive seasons.
Here's a look at how all six Regionals shook out, with the five teams and one individual player that advanced to Arkansas from each.
ATHENS REGIONAL
University of Georgia G.C., Athens, Ga. (Par 71)
Home cooking did the Bulldogs well, as the host school won going away on Wednesday. It was Georgia's 63rd team title under head coach Chris Haack. More notable than Georgia's win, however, was SMU finishing fourth. The Mustangs were the lowest seeded school to advance to nationals from any of the regionals, although that was a bit of a fluke. Earlier in the spring, the team was disqualified from the Goodwin Invitational when freshman Ben Wong signed an incorrect scorecard. On Wednesday, he shot a three-under 68 to help the Mustangs qualify for nationals.
Qualifiers
Win: Georgia, -8/844
2: Duke, -1/851
3: Vanderbilt, +1/853
4: SMU, +16/868
5: Liberty, +18/870
Just missed:
6: Tennessee, +21/873
7: Nevada, +23/875
8: Memphis, +25/877
Top-five seed that failed to qualify
11: Alabama, +39/891 (No. 5 seed)
Individual results
Medalist: Davis Thompson, Georgia, -8/205
2: Will Gordon, Vanderbilt, -6/207
3: Spencer Ralston, Georgia, -4/209
T-4: Billy Tom Sargent, Western Kentucky, -3/210*
T-4: Stephen Osborne, Nevada, -3/210
*Qualified as individuals for NCAA Championship
MYRTLE BEACH REGIONAL
TPC of Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, S.C. (Par 72)
Mike Small likes to play the "nobody gives us a chance" roll when he talks about his Illinois program as the little northern team that doesn't get much respect. But with the Illini winning their fifth NCAA Regional title in seven years, we're having none of that. Meanwhile, Ohio State, Wake Forest and California all will be returning to nationals after failing to qualifying for some time. It's been since 2011 for the Buckeyes, 2016 for the Demon Deacons and 2017 for the Golden Bears.
Qualifiers
Win: Illinois, -25/839
2: Ohio State, -20/844
3: Wake Forest, -15/849
4: California, -14/850
5: UNLV, -8/856
Just missed:
6: Florida State, -7/857
7: Oregon, -1/863
8: Northwestern, E/864
Top-five seed that failed to qualify
6: Florida State, -7/857 (No. 5 seed)
9: Texas Tech, +1/865 (No. 3 seed)
Individual Results
Medalist: Michael Feagles, Illinois, -15/201
2: Edwin Yu, Oregon, -14/202*
3: Jamie Li, Florida State, -11/205
*Qualified as individuals for NCAA Championship
LOUISVILLE REGIONAL
University of Louisville G.C., Simpsonville, Ky. (Par 71)
The Cowboys claimed their sixth team title of the 2018-'19 season, as the seeding held form in Louisville, the top five schools all advancing.
Qualifiers
Win: Oklahoma State, -14/838
2: Auburn, -10/842
3: Baylor, -7/845
4: Louisville, +7/859
5: North Florida, +8/860
Just missed:
6: West Virginia, +10/862
7: Mississippi State, +14/866
8: Iowa State, +15/867
Individual Results
Medalist: Tripp Kinney, Iowa State, -7/206*
T-2: Viktor Hovland, Oklahoma State, -6/207
T-2: Jimmy Hervol, Connecticut, -6/207
T-2: Trevor Wrbylo, Arizona, -6/207
T-2: Matthias Schmid, Louisville, -6/207
*Qualified as individuals for NCAA Championship
AUSTIN REGIONAL
University of Texas G.C. (Par 71)
Another instance of the home team getting the last laugh, as the Longhorns (pictured above) cruised to a 20-stroke victory. No surprises with the remaining teams advancing as all four were among the top-five seeded teams. The one disappointment, however, was Arkansas finishing in sixth place, five strokes out of the fifth spot that would have earned them a trip to play on their home course at nationals.
Qualifiers
Win: Texas, -25/827
2: TCU, -5/847
3: Clemson, -1/851
4: Pepperdine, +1/858
5: USC, +8/860
Just missed:
6: Arkansas, +13/865
7: Iowa, +18/870
8: Marquette, +28/880
Individual Results
Co-Medalist: Stefano Mazzoli, TCU, -9/204
Co-Medalist: Steve Chervony, Texas, -9/204
Co-Medalist: Cole Hammer, Texas, -9/204
T-6: Julian Perico, Arkansas, -3/210*
*Qualified as individuals for NCAA Championship
STANFORD REGIONAL
Stanford University G.C., Stanford, Calif. (Par 72)
The Cardinal won the Pac-12 title last month and now have added another title on their home course, outpacing a very talented conference foe in Arizona State. Still, the Sun Devils need to be considered a serious threat at nationals after having an impressive season with one of the deeper rosters in the country.
Qualifiers
Win: Stanford, -23/817
T-2: Arizona State, -11/839
T-2: North Carolina, -11/839
4: Georgia Southern, -6/844
5: LSU, +2/852
Just missed:
6: Mississippi, +3/853
7: Virginia, +5/855
T-8: South Florida, +9/859
T-8: N.C. State, +9/859
Top-five seed that failed to qualify
T-8: N.C. State, +9/859 (No. 4 seed)
Individual Results
Medalist: Isaiah Salinda, Stanford, -10/200
T-2: Ryan Burnett, North Carolina, -7/203
T-2: Cameron Sisk, Arizona State, -7/203
T-2: Chun An Yu, Arizona State, -7/203
T-2: David Snyder, Stanford, -7/203
T-6: Kyler Dunkle, Utah, -6/204*
*Qualified as individuals for NCAA Championship
PULLMAN REGIONAL
Palouse Ridge, Pullman, Wash. (Par 70)
The scores were scary low in Pullman, where a playoff decided the fifth and final school to advance (congrats South Carolina).
Qualifiers
Win: Texas A&M, -33/807
2: BYU, -31/809
3: Oklahoma, -30/810
4: Georgia Tech, -22/818
T-5: South Carolina, -21/819*
*won playoff for last spot
Just missed:
T-5: Colorado State, -21/819
7: Michigan State, -12/828
8: UCLA, -11/829
Top-five seed that failed to qualify
8: UCLA, -11/829 (No. 5 seed)
Individual Results
Medalist: Rhett Rasmussen, BYU, -15/195
2: Zach Smith, UC Santa Barbara, -13/197*
T-3: Scott Stevens, South Carolina, -12/198
T-3: Tim Widing, San Francisco, -12/198
T-3: Blaine Hale, Oklahoma, -12/198
*Qualified as individuals for NCAA Championship