With the top five team finishers after 54 holes advancing to the Finals, the University of Colorado sits in seventh place out of 13 teams in Stockton, Calif. Colorado State University is ninth out of 14 teams in Reunion, Fla. And the University of Northern Colorado is 12th out of 13 teams in Bryan, Texas.
More importantly, CU and CSU are each five strokes out of fifth place after Monday’s opening rounds, while UNC is 13 back of the fifth-place team.
CU is seeking its first berth in the NCAA Finals since 2002, while CSU is hoping to advance for the first time since 2011.
The Buffs, led by seniors Spencer Painton and Yannik Paul (both of whom shot 71), posted a 2-over-par 290 total, thanks in part to all five CU players making birdie on the par-5 16th. CU trails leader Iowa State by 12 shots in Stockton.
CSU checked in at even-par 288 in Reunion, which leaves the Rams 12 behind team leader Florida. Coloradans Jake Staiano and AJ Ott set the pace for CSU on Monday with 1-under-par 71s.
UNC recorded an 18-over-par 306 total. Big Sky Conference Player of the Year Joshua Matz led the way for the Bears by firing a 1-under-par 71.
Play will continue through Wednesday at each NCAA Regional.
In addition to the top five team finishers, the top individual not on one of those teams from each Regional will advance to the NCAA Finals, set for May 25-30 in Stillwater, Okla.
Men’s NCAA Division I Regionals
May 14-16, 2018 in Stockton, Calif.
7. (out of 13 teams) Colorado 290
19. Spencer Painton 71
19. Yannik Paul 71
37. Daniel O’Loughlin 73
52. John Souza 75
52. Ross Macdonald 75
May 14-16, 2018 in Reunion, Fla.
9. (out of 14 teams) Colorado State 288
21. AJ Ott 71
21. Jake Staiano 71
41. Max Oelfke 73
41. Parathakorn Suyasri 73
61. Jack Ainscough 76
May 14-16, 2018 in Bryan, Texas
12. (out of 13 teams) Northern Colorado 306
12. Joshua Matz 71
62. Coby Welch 78
62. Li Chen 78
65. Andrew Romano 79
75. Marcus Tait 84
Also
37. Coloradan Josh Seiple, Mississippi 74
May 14-16, 2018 in Norman, Okla.
51. Chris Korte, Denver (competing only as individual) 76
And it’s not over yet.
The Highlands Ranch resident, a fifth-year senior at the University of Oregon, finished second Wednesday in the Men’s NCAA Division I Regional tournament in Baton Rouge, La. And the Ducks, the defending national champions, qualified for the NCAA Finals by placing third in the 14-team field. The top five team finishers and the top individual not on those teams from each regional advance to the Finals, set for May 26-31 in Sugar Grove, Ill.
Clark (pictured), who won the Pac-12 Conference individual title on April 30 at Boulder Country Club, made a run at the victory on Wednesday. With the No. 1-ranked (Clark) and No. 2 (Sam Burns of host LSU) college golfers in the nation battling it out for the indiviudal win, Clark made up four strokes in the final round, but ended up one behind Burns.
Clark, the Pac-12 Player of the Year who won the CGA Amateur in 2010 as a 16-year-old, shot a 1-under-par 71 in the final round, giving him a 3-under 213 total. He made just one bogey in his final 35 holes. Burns, who opened with a 65, ended up at 212 after a final-round 75. He struggled on his final nine holes, posting a 5-over 41, but parred his final two holes to secure the win at LSU’s home course. The Tigers also won the team title.
The finish gives Clark a remarkable 11 top-10 finishes in a dozen tournaments as a senior. He owns three wins, four seconds, one third, a fifth, a sixth, a 10th and a 13th.
Meanwhile, the University of Colorado — the only Colorado-based school which earned a berth in the DI regionals — finished 12th out of 13 teams in the West, Lafayette, Ind., Regional. It marked the fifth consecutive year that the Buffs have qualified for the NCAA Regionals but failed to advance to the NCAA Finals. They missed by 28 strokes this time around. CU — whose No. 1 player, Jeremy Paul, turned pro a month ago — last made it to nationals as a team in 2002.
Junior Yannik Paul (75-78-72–225) finished 31st individually to lead the Buffs. Coloradan Ethan Freeman concluded his college career by placing 59th at 232.
Elsewhere, Coloradan Josh Seiple, like Clark a former Valor Christian High School golfer, also will be going to the NCAA Finals. His University of Mississippi team advanced by finishing fourth in the Austin, Texas Regional. Individually, Seiple placed 25th, going 73-74-70 for a 4-over-par 217 total.
Also in Austin, Jake Staiano of Colorado State, another former Valor golfer, finished 38th while competing only as an individual. The sophomore went 73-74-74–221.
MEN’S NCAA DIV. I REGIONALS
May 15-17, 2017 (final) in West Lafayette, Ind.
12. (out of 13 teams) Colorado 304-308-298–910
31. Yannik Paul 75-78-72–225
49. Victor Bjorlow 77-78-74–229
59. Ethan Freeman 77-76-79–232
63. John Souza 75-85-73–233
67. Spencer Painton 78-76-80–234
May 15-17, 2017 (final) in Baton Rouge, La.
2. Coloradan Wyndham Clark, Oregon 72-70-71–213
May 15-17, 2017 (final) in Austin Texas
25. Coloradan Josh Seiple, Mississippi 73-74-70–217
38. Jake Staiano, Colorado State 73-74-74–221
The Pac-12 Player of the Year shot a 2-under-par 70, giving the University of Oregon senior a 2-under 142 total heading into Wednesday’s final round. The only player ahead of him is Sam Burns from host LSU, who leads by five after rounds of 65-72.
Perhaps not coincidentally, Clark (pictured) and Burns are ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the nation among men’s college golfers.
Clark — who won the Pac-12 individual title in Boulder on April 30, giving him three wins on the season — started Tuesday with a bogey on his first hole, but made three birdies and 14 pars the rest of the way. All his birdies came on par-5s.
The top five team finishers and the top individual not on those teams will advance to the NCAA Finals, set for May 26-31 in Sugar Grove, Ill. Clark’s Oregon squad is tied for fourth after two rounds.
Meanwhile, the University of Colorado, the only Colorado-based team to qualify for the Men’s DI Regionals, fell into last place in the team standings in the West Lafayette, Ind., Regional. Barring a near-miracle, the Buffs won’t reach their goal of qualifying for the NCAA Finals for the first time since 2002.
CU — whose No. 1 player, Jeremy Paul, turned pro a month ago — stands at 36-over-par 612 for two rounds. It trails leader New Mexico by 42 strokes. More importantly, the Buffs are 33 strokes out of the fifth-place spot, the last one that will advance to Finals. Ethan Freeman and Yannik Paul are leading the way individually for CU, at 9-over-par 153.
And at the Austin, Texas Regional, two former Valor Christian teammates who last week advanced to U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying are tied through two rounds. Jake Staiano of Colorado State and Josh Seiple of Mississippi have matched rounds of 73-74 for 5-over-par 147s, good for 26th place.
Seiple’s Ole Miss squad is in good position to advance to Finals as a team as it’s in third place.
MEN’S NCAA DIV. I REGIONALS
May 15-17, 2017 in West Lafayette, Ind.
13. (out of 13 teams) Colorado 304-308–612
53. Ethan Freeman 77-76–153
53. Yannik Paul 75-78–153
58. Spencer Painton 78-76–154
63. Victor Bjorlow 77-78–155
75. John Souza 75-85–160
May 15-17, 2017 in Baton Rouge, La.
2. Coloradan Wyndham Clark, Oregon 72-70–142
May 15-17, 2017 in Austin Texas
26. Jake Staiano, Colorado State 73-74–147
26. Coloradan Josh Seiple, Mississippi 73-74–147