TEMPE, Ariz. — The Vanderbilt men’s golf team advanced to the 2007 NCAA National Championships with a fifth place finish at the NCAA West Regional on Saturday at Arizona State University’s Karsten Golf Course.
Seventeen-under after 36 holes, the Commodores shot a 21-under 267 — the low round of the tournament — on Saturday to secure a Top 10 spot and advancement to the NCAA National Championships, May 30 through June 2 at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Vanderbilt has made two previous trip to the NCAA Nationals — in 2003 and 2004.
All five Commodores shot even-par or better on Saturday, led by sophomore Jon Curran and junior Billy Whalen, both of whom carded seven-under 65’s. Freshman Hudson Johnson fired the low-round of his collegiate career, a five-under 67. Senior Luke List went two-under and sophomore Tyler Matthews was even.
Curran’s three-day total of 201 knocks nine strokes off of his previous career best, shot this season at the Carpet Capital Intercollegiate in Dalton, Georgia. The Hopkinton, Mass., native finished the tournament in a three-way tie for second place, just three strokes off the pace set by individual medalist Benjamin Alvarado of host Arizona State.
At 10-under for the event, Whalen also registered a Top 20 finish in the 141-player field (27 teams plus six individuals).
As a team, the Commodores were only six strokes behind Regional Champion South Carolina, who edged two-day leader UCLA by two shots. Southern California and Arizona State were tied for third. Arizona, Stanford and New Mexico finished sixth through eighth, with Wake Forest and East Tennessee State rounding out the top ten.
VANDERBILT TEAM RESULTS
5. Vanderbilt -38 283-276-267–826
VANDERBILT INDIVIDUALS
T2. Jon Curran -15 71-65-65–201
T18. Billy Whalen -10 69-72-65–206
T43. Hudson Johnson -5 73-71-67–211
T62. Luke List -3 75-68-70–213
T81. Tyler Matthews E 70-74-72–216
