The University of Colorado men’s team had by far its best round of the NCAA Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Regional, but the Buffs couldn’t make up any ground on Wednesday and saw their season end.
CU shot even-par 288 as a team on Wednesday and finished tied for eighth place out of 13 teams at the regional with a 26-over-par 890 total. Only the top five teams advance to the NCAA Finals in Eugene, Ore., and the Buffs ended up 23 strokes out of fifth place. SEC champion Georgia claimed the title at 848.
Colorado last qualified a full team for the NCAA Finals in 2002.
CU junior Jeremy Paul, who shared the individual lead after round 1, led the Buffs with a 21st-place showing. He shot a 2-over-par 74 on Wednesday to post a 3-over 219 total. Though Paul saw his 54-round streak of having his score count toward the team total end, he still set the program record for single-season stroke average, at 70.6.
(May 30 Update: Paul later was named to the Ping All-West Region Team by the Golf Coaches Association of America.)
Georgia’s Greyson Sigg was the regional champion at 9-under 207.
Meanwhile, at the NCAA Stillwater (Okla.) Regional, Louisville coach Mark Crabtree (pictured) — a Colorado Golf Hall of Famer, former CU golfer and former Colorado State coach — guided the Cardinals to a fourth-place finish and an NCAA Finals team berth. It was the third time Louisville has advanced to the NCAA Finals under Crabtree.
(May 30 Update: Louisville went on to finish 14th in the NCAA Finals.)
Host Oklahoma State easily won the Stillwater Regional, though Coloradan Wyndham Clark didn’t compete for the Cowboys this week.
NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional
May 16-18, 2016 (final) in Tucscaloosa, Ala.
8. Colorado 296-306-288–890
21. Jeremy Paul 68-77-74–219; 34. Ethan Freeman 75-74-73–222; 46. Philip Juel-Berg 74-80-72–226; 53. John Souza 80-75-73–228; 56. Wilson Belk 79-83-70–232.
For all the scores from the Tuscaloosa Regional, CLICK HERE.
