University of Memphis Athletics
Wednesday, May 18
Kohler, Wis.
University of Memphis
vs
NCAA Regional
Photo by: Ricky Bassman
Memphis Blisters Course, Climbs Five Spots to Finish Seventh at NCAA Regionals
May 18, 2016 | Men's Golf
Tigers card a 278, second-lowest score in three-round NCAA regional
KOHLER, Wis. – The Memphis men's golf team carded a final-round score of 278, 10 strokes under par, as the team climbed four spots in the standings to eighth overall at the NCAA Kohler Regional.
"Today was a great effort by the guys," said head coach Blake Smart. "That's the team that we are, but we fell victim again to one poor round."
Memphis became the first team in the field – in any round – to have all five of its student-athletes to shoot even par or under in the same round. The Tigers also joined Texas (second round of the Franklin Regional), Vanderbilt (second and third rounds of the Franklin Regional), Houston (third round of the Franklin Regional), Virginia (second round of the Franklin Regional), and Stanford (first round of the Tucson Regional) as one of seven teams among each of the six NCAA Regionals to accomplish that feat.
Fourth ranked Illinois took the NCAA Regional title with a three-round total of 853 (-11), just ahead of 16th ranked Florida and 21st ranked Arkansas, who each carded an 857 (-7). Tenth ranked Florida State and 28th ranked Baylor tied for fourth overall with an 858 (-6).
Idaho shot an even par 864 to tie for sixth in the field, just ahead of Memphis' and East Tennessee State's 869. Penn State, ranked 33rd, shot an 874, while UCLA (876), South Dakota State (879), 45th ranked Kent State (881), and Campbell (903) rounded out the 13 teams in the field.
Sydney Chung carded a career-low 68 (-4) on the round, while Eithel McGowen tied a career-low with a 69 (-3). Lars van Meijel's 70 (-2) and Thomas Perrot's 71 (-1) rounded out the scoring four for the Tigers. Taylor McCullum shot an even par 72 for the fifth score in the Tigers' lineup on the 7,123-yard, par-72 Blackwolf Run – Meadow Valley Course.
"It's a tough day losing Lars and Thomas, but we will support them in their pro careers and certainly wish them the best," said Smart. "They will ultimately go down as two of the best Tigers in the history of the program"
Chung rebounded from a rough first two rounds where he shot seven and eight strokes over par, respectively, and shot a career-low 68 (-4). Opening the round on the 10th hole, Chung had a back-and-forth opening two holes with a birdie on the par-four 10th hole, and a bogey a hole later. Back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth holes put him under par, where he stayed for the remainder of the round. A par on the 15th hole was followed with a bogey on his sixth hole, and a birdie on the seventh kept him at two under par at the turn.
His back nine (on the front nine of the course) opened with a par, before back-to-back birdies dropped him to four strokes under par through 12 holes. He closed with six straight pars, closing the round with a career-low 68, topping his previous career-best score of 69 set at the American Conference Championships at the beginning of May. His three-round total of +9 put him in a tie for 61st overall.
McGowen tied a career-low with a 69, using seven birdies on the round to finish three-under par. After a par to open the round, he carded back-to-back birdies to drop him to two under par. A double-bogey on the fifth hole of the tournament dropped him back to even par; however, he birdied the next two holes to put him at two under par, which is where he stayed through the turn.
After back-to-back pars to open the back nine, he birded the next three holes to drop him to five under par four the round. Bogeys on the 15th and 17th holes raised his aggregate score to three strokes under par, which is where it was as he entered the clubhouse after the round, as he tied for 29th with a one-over par final three-round score.
van Meijel opened the day with a par which was followed by an eagle on the par-five 11th hole. After another par, he birdied the par-four fourth hole, putting him to three under par. On the seventh and eighth holes of the day van Meijel carded bogeys to drop him to one under par at the turn.
Two birdies and two bogeys over the first four holes kept him at one under par, before sandwiching a birdie with four pars to close out the round at two strokes under par, placing him in a tie for 43rd in the field overall.
Perrot, who ended with the team's highest individual finish in a tie for 21st, was the team's fourth-best score on the final day at one stroke under par. His open of the tournament seemed ominous, as he had a par, a bogey, and a par over the first three holes. He quickly righted the ship, and went the next 11 holes without a bogey, including four birdies in that span. He birdied the fourth and eighth holes to take a one under par score into the turn.
On the back nine he opened with three straight pars and then two straight birdies to drop him to three strokes under par. A bogey on the 15th hole of the tournament, and another on the 18th to put him at even par on the final nine holes, and at one under for the round.
McCullum, who set a career-high a day earlier, finished his final round in the regional with an even par 72. He opened with a bogey on the par-four opening hole, before getting the stroke back with a birdie on the second hole. He came back with a double bogey on the third hole, putting him two strokes over par. He closed the first nine holes of the day with six straight pars to put him at two strokes over par at the turn.
His final nine holes saw him with four birdies, three pars, and two bogeys. He opened with a par, birdie, and bogey over the first three back nine holes, respectively, before three birdies over the next four holes took him from two strokes over par to one stroke under par. A par on the 17th hole of the round kept him at one under par, before a bogey headed into the clubhouse with an even-par final score.
"This was great experience for the returners and hopefully very motivating for a great summer of improvement," said Smart.
"Today was a great effort by the guys," said head coach Blake Smart. "That's the team that we are, but we fell victim again to one poor round."
Memphis became the first team in the field – in any round – to have all five of its student-athletes to shoot even par or under in the same round. The Tigers also joined Texas (second round of the Franklin Regional), Vanderbilt (second and third rounds of the Franklin Regional), Houston (third round of the Franklin Regional), Virginia (second round of the Franklin Regional), and Stanford (first round of the Tucson Regional) as one of seven teams among each of the six NCAA Regionals to accomplish that feat.
Fourth ranked Illinois took the NCAA Regional title with a three-round total of 853 (-11), just ahead of 16th ranked Florida and 21st ranked Arkansas, who each carded an 857 (-7). Tenth ranked Florida State and 28th ranked Baylor tied for fourth overall with an 858 (-6).
Idaho shot an even par 864 to tie for sixth in the field, just ahead of Memphis' and East Tennessee State's 869. Penn State, ranked 33rd, shot an 874, while UCLA (876), South Dakota State (879), 45th ranked Kent State (881), and Campbell (903) rounded out the 13 teams in the field.
Sydney Chung carded a career-low 68 (-4) on the round, while Eithel McGowen tied a career-low with a 69 (-3). Lars van Meijel's 70 (-2) and Thomas Perrot's 71 (-1) rounded out the scoring four for the Tigers. Taylor McCullum shot an even par 72 for the fifth score in the Tigers' lineup on the 7,123-yard, par-72 Blackwolf Run – Meadow Valley Course.
"It's a tough day losing Lars and Thomas, but we will support them in their pro careers and certainly wish them the best," said Smart. "They will ultimately go down as two of the best Tigers in the history of the program"
Chung rebounded from a rough first two rounds where he shot seven and eight strokes over par, respectively, and shot a career-low 68 (-4). Opening the round on the 10th hole, Chung had a back-and-forth opening two holes with a birdie on the par-four 10th hole, and a bogey a hole later. Back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth holes put him under par, where he stayed for the remainder of the round. A par on the 15th hole was followed with a bogey on his sixth hole, and a birdie on the seventh kept him at two under par at the turn.
His back nine (on the front nine of the course) opened with a par, before back-to-back birdies dropped him to four strokes under par through 12 holes. He closed with six straight pars, closing the round with a career-low 68, topping his previous career-best score of 69 set at the American Conference Championships at the beginning of May. His three-round total of +9 put him in a tie for 61st overall.
McGowen tied a career-low with a 69, using seven birdies on the round to finish three-under par. After a par to open the round, he carded back-to-back birdies to drop him to two under par. A double-bogey on the fifth hole of the tournament dropped him back to even par; however, he birdied the next two holes to put him at two under par, which is where he stayed through the turn.
After back-to-back pars to open the back nine, he birded the next three holes to drop him to five under par four the round. Bogeys on the 15th and 17th holes raised his aggregate score to three strokes under par, which is where it was as he entered the clubhouse after the round, as he tied for 29th with a one-over par final three-round score.
van Meijel opened the day with a par which was followed by an eagle on the par-five 11th hole. After another par, he birdied the par-four fourth hole, putting him to three under par. On the seventh and eighth holes of the day van Meijel carded bogeys to drop him to one under par at the turn.
Two birdies and two bogeys over the first four holes kept him at one under par, before sandwiching a birdie with four pars to close out the round at two strokes under par, placing him in a tie for 43rd in the field overall.
Perrot, who ended with the team's highest individual finish in a tie for 21st, was the team's fourth-best score on the final day at one stroke under par. His open of the tournament seemed ominous, as he had a par, a bogey, and a par over the first three holes. He quickly righted the ship, and went the next 11 holes without a bogey, including four birdies in that span. He birdied the fourth and eighth holes to take a one under par score into the turn.
On the back nine he opened with three straight pars and then two straight birdies to drop him to three strokes under par. A bogey on the 15th hole of the tournament, and another on the 18th to put him at even par on the final nine holes, and at one under for the round.
McCullum, who set a career-high a day earlier, finished his final round in the regional with an even par 72. He opened with a bogey on the par-four opening hole, before getting the stroke back with a birdie on the second hole. He came back with a double bogey on the third hole, putting him two strokes over par. He closed the first nine holes of the day with six straight pars to put him at two strokes over par at the turn.
His final nine holes saw him with four birdies, three pars, and two bogeys. He opened with a par, birdie, and bogey over the first three back nine holes, respectively, before three birdies over the next four holes took him from two strokes over par to one stroke under par. A par on the 17th hole of the round kept him at one under par, before a bogey headed into the clubhouse with an even-par final score.
"This was great experience for the returners and hopefully very motivating for a great summer of improvement," said Smart.
Players Mentioned
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