NCAA regional action awaits Pac-12 men's golf teams

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.-- Eight Pac-12 Conference men’s golf teams and four individuals will be in action this week as the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship gets underway at six regional sites May 15-17. 

 

Representing the Pac-12 will be ARIZONA STATE, CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, OREGON, Conference champion STANFORD, UCLA, USC and WASHINGTON. Individual at-large selections include ARIZONA’s Erik Oja and Alex McMahon, and OREGON STATE’s David Fink and Alex Franklin.

 

COLORADO (No. 8 seed) - It’s the fifth regional appearance in the last eight years for Colorado. After posting a 41-over and sitting in 11th place through the first two rounds of the Pac-12 Championship, the Buffs closed with a flurry as they shot 2-under over the final two rounds the to finish 4th, their best finish in three Conference championships. Junior David Oraee (72.35 avg), who was CU’s top finisher at the Pac-12’s with a 12th-place showing, leads a young squad that includes one sophomore and three freshmen. 

 

ARIZONA STATE (No. 5 seed) - The Sun Devils have won six regional titles. Only Oklahoma State (9) and Clemson (7) have more regional victories. Sophomore Jon Rahm (70.74 avg), a first team All-Pac-12 selection, has carded 21 eagles during an 80-round career. Earlier this season, Rahm’s 21-under 192 at the ASU Thunderbird Invitational broke the school’s 54-hole final score record and the Invitational record.

 

STANFORD (No. 1 seed) - The Cardinal won its first Pac-12 title since 1994, and eighth overall. Patrick Rodgers (69.55 avg) earned Pac-12 medalist honors (7-under 281), his fifth win of the season and 10th career victory. His next win would tie the school career record of 11 held by Tiger Woods. Cameron Wilson (69.85 avg) has posted six top 5 finishes for the Cardinal, including a third place showing with a 4-under 284 at the Pac-12 Championship.

OREGON (No. 7 seed) - Thomas Lim (72.00 avg), a Pac-12 All-Freshman selection, and his teammates look to take advantage of the home course. This is the eighth-straight regional appearance for the Ducks under head coach Casey Martin. Oregon won the Southwest Region in 2010, and have finished second three other times (2008, 2009, 2012).

Individuals: Oregon State’s David Fink (72.65 avg) and Alex Franklin (73.00 avg).

 

Live Scoring 

WASHINGTON (No. 2 seed) - Cheng-Tsung Pan (70.14 avg) and Trevor Simsby (70.76 avg) pace the Huskies. Pan closed with a 4-under 68 on the final round at the Pac-12 Championship to finish second with a 5-under 283. This will be the 21st regional appearance for the Dawgs, who have won a NCAA regional three times, including as recently as 2012. The Huskies have advanced to nine of the past 11 NCAA Championships.

 

UCLA (No. 3 seed) - Jonathan Garrick (71.32 avg) and Lorens Chan (71.41 avg) both earned All-Pac-12 Second Team honors and provide the Bruins with a pair of top 50 players. Chan posted the lowest score for the Bruins at the Pac-12 Championship, shooting a 1-over 287 to finish in seventh place.

Individuals: Arizona’s Erik Oja (71.29 avg) and Alex McMahon (72.89 avg).

 

CALIFORNIA (No. 1 seed) - Brandon Hagy (70.97 avg), the Byron Nelson Award winner, and fellow senior Joel Stalter (71.61 avg) look to add to a storied Cal career that has included six team wins this season. Since the beginning of the 2011-12 campaign, Cal has won 24 of its last 38 stroke-play events and been in the top five in 37 of those events. This will be the eighth straight regional appearance and 19th overall for the Golden Bears.

USC (No. 3 seed) - Rico Hoey (71.19 avg), the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, and Anthony Paolucci (71.89 avg) will lead the Trojans in pursuit of an eighth straight NCAA Finals appearance. Hoey has posted 14 rounds in the 60s to go with a team-high seven top 7 finishes.

 

The low five teams and the low individual not on those teams from each regional will advance to the finals, which will be held May 23-28, at the Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan. (Wichita State, host).

 

The Pac-12 Conference has claimed 14 NCAA team titles and produced 16 NCAA individual champions. Since 2003, the Pac-12 has netted three team champions (2004 - California; 2007 - Stanford; 2008 - UCLA) and five individual champions (2003 - Alejandro Canizares, ASU; 2005 - James Lepp, WASH; 2007 - Jamie Lovemark, USC; 2008 - Kevin Chappell, UCLA; 2013 - Max Homa, CAL).

 

1. Stanford 362-354-367-355 1438 -2

2. Washington 368-369-370-346 1453 +13

3. California 368-354-382-363 1467 +27

4. Colorado 379-382-364-354 1479 +39

5. USC 377-363-379-364 1483 +43

5. Arizona State 379-360-384-364 1487 +47

7. UCLA 370-371-385-363 1489 +49

9. Oregon 384-362-389-361 1496 +56

8. Arizona 366-374-389-374 1503 +63

9. Oregon State 373-366-394-371 1504 +64

10. Washington State 384-383-376-367 1561 +70

12. Utah 392-387-398-384 1561 +121

 

1. Patrick Rodgers, Stanford 71-65-73-72 281 -7

2. Cheng-Tsung Pan, Washington 75-70-70-68 283 -5

Cameron Wilson, Stanford 72-71-73-68 284 -4

4. Blake Snyder, Washington State 76-73-70-68 287 -1

Joel Stalter, California 74-68-76-69 287 -1

Eric Sugimoto, USC 74-72-73-68 287 -1

 

Brandon Hagy California Sr. Westlake Village, Calif.

Rico Hoey USC Fr. Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Erik Oja Arizona Sr. Sandviken, Sweden

Jon Rahm Arizona State So. Barrika, Spain

Patrick Rodgers Stanford Jr. Avon, Ind.

Trevor Simsby Washington Sr. Carlsbad, Calif.

Joel Stalter California Sr. Amneville, France

Cameron Wilson Stanford Sr. Rowayton, Conn.

 

Lorens Chan UCLA So. Honolulu, Hawai’i

David Fink Oregon State Sr. Kailua, Hawaii

Jonathan Garrick UCLA So. Atherton, Calif.

Cheng-Tsung Pan Washington So. Bradenton, Fla.

Anthony Paolucci USC Jr. Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

Jeremy Paul Colorado Fr. Viernheim, Germany

Corey Pereira Washington Fr. Cameron Park, Calif.

Jonathan Sanders Washington So. Chatsworth, Calif.

 

Honorable Mention: Pace Johnson, Sr., CAL; Jeffrey Kang, Sr., USC; Keelan Kirkpatrick, So., CAL; Thomas Lim, Fr., ORE; Alex McMahon, Jr., ARIZ; Maverick McNealy, Fr., STAN; Austin Quick, Jr., ASU; Paul Smith, Jr., USC; Blake Snyder, Sr., WSU; Eric Sugimoto, Jr., USC; Michael Weaver, Sr., CAL. 

 

Rico Hoey USC Fr. Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Thomas Lim Oregon Fr. Moorpark, Calif.

Maverick McNealy Stanford Fr. Portola Valley, Calif.

Jeremy Paul Colorado Fr. Viernheim, Germany

Corey Pereira Washington Fr. Cameron Park, Calif.

Honorable Mention: Kevin Murphy, OSU

 

Pac-12 Player of the Year: Patrick Rodgers, Stanford

Pac-12 Freshman of the Year: Rico Hoey, USC

Pac-12 Coach of the Year: Conrad Ray, Stanford