Virginia took a three-stroke lead after Saturday’s second round of the NCAA Men’s Championship at La Costa North in Carlsbad, California. North Carolina, which entered the day only one-shot from the top, struggled and fell 10 strokes back.
Virginia has a 1-over-par 557 total, three shots better than Illinois and six ahead of Vanderbilt. North Carolina and Ohio State are tied for fifth, one behind Auburn.
N.C. State junior Nick Mathews of Mebane, playing as an individual, shot 77 Saturday for a 150 total. UNC Greensboro’s Kelvin Hernandez shot 80 for 155.
Karl Vilips of Stanford shot 68 and leads by five strokes in the medalist race at 7-under 137.
UNC was led by Peter Fountain’s 73, leaving him at 145. David shot 75 for 146. Dylan Menante rebounded with 72 for 150. Austin Greaser shot 76 and Maxwell Ford had 79.
Michael Brennan (pictured) shot 77 for 149 to lead Wake Forest, which has 602 as a team, four behind Stanford, which is in 15th. The top 15 teams after Sunday’s round qualify for the final round of stroke play.
Participating as individuals, Mebane native Nick Mathews of N.C. State and Nick Hernandez of UNC Greensboro got off to good starts at the NCAA Men’s Championship Friday before fading down the stretch at La Costa North in Carlsbad, California.
Powered by brothers David and Maxwell Ford and Peter Fountain, North Carolina grabbed third place. The top 15 teams will survive a 15-team cut. Only eight will advance to match play after a fourth round.
Despite playing several hours apart, Mathews and Hernandez had similar results. Mathews shooting 2-over-par 74, and Hernandez posing 75 after each were posting to under-par scores early on the back nine.
Both made double-bogeys on par-4s late in their rounds with Mathews making his 6 at No. 15, but rebounding to make birdie at 18. Hernandez made double at 17 after consecutive bogeys.
Playing in the afternoon, UNC shot 3-over 291 with its four counting scores in the 30-team, 156-player field, only one stroke behind co-leaders Virginia and Arizona. Georgia Tech was one stroke behind UNC.
Hirochi Tai of Georgia Tech took the individual lead with 67. The nine individuals, including players on teams that don’t make the 54-hole cut, will advance as individuals to the final stroke-play round on Monday.
David Ford, who shot 71, was one of only 14 players to break par on the 7,538-yard course. Maxwell Ford and Fountain shot 72 for UNC, which also counted Austin Greaser’s 76.
Wake Forest shot 10-over 298 in the morning to tie for 15th. Michael Brennan and Tom Haberer shot 72 and Marshall Meisel shot 75. But Wake had to count a 79, the score made by Scotty Kennon and Collin Adams.
Kennon shot 1-under 35 on the front nine, but made two double-bogeys and a triple-bogey in the final five holes. Adams made three double-bogeys.
There were two major winners after Thursday’s final round of the North Carolina Open at Starmount Forest Country Club.
Recent UNC Greensboro graduate Noah Connor (pictured below), who held a six-stroke lead entering the day, cruised to a three-shot victory despite a final-round 72 that included 38 on the back nine. The Reidsville amateur finished at 11-under-par 202 for 54 holes.
Connor is now reigning champion of the state open and the Carolinas Open, two of the Carolinas PGA’s most-prestigious championships.
“I didn’t really do anything different than I had the last couple of days,” said Connor, who hopes to qualify and play in the U.S. Amateur this summer before turning pro. “I knew where I stood throughout the round, so I wasn’t ever worried or anxious about it.”
The other big winner was host pro Savio Nazareth (pictured putting and below), who birdied four of the final five holes for 68 to finish second with 205. As low pro, Nazareth shined in front of his club’s members collected the $5,000 first prize.
Plus, the tournament went off without a hitch, avoiding any type of weather problems that wiped out the CPGA Senior Open scheduled for Holly Ridge earlier in May.
After blistering the course with rounds of 66 and 64 — the low rounds each day — Connor said he didn’t have as many birdie chances Thursday and he wasn’t as successful on the greens. But he was never threatened, though Nazareth’s late charge cut significantly into the margin.
“I missed several putts of 6 to 8 feet,” said Connor, who doesn’t expect to try for a sweep of the CPGA’s three most prestigious events by playing in the S.C. Open in late June at Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach. “I missed several putts of 6 to 8 feet.”
Cornelius pro Nick Rencis shot Thursday’s low round of 66 to pull into a tie with pro Aaron Black of Indian Land, South Carolina, and amateur Alex Heffner of Harrisburg.
UNCG golfer Sam Davidson of Asheboro and Gardner-Webb player Jack Royer of Greensboro tied for eighth at 209.
Nazareth, a pro at Starmount for 19 years who shared the first-round lead, birdied 14, 15, 17 and 18. The highlight was a chip-in from about 20 yards at the par-3 17th. At 18, he hit a high cut from the right rough over trees, stopping it pin high, perhaps 40 feet from the pin, setting up a tap-in.
Nazareth said he fielded some good-natured texts crediting “home cooking” after his opening 66. But acknowledged that his knowledge of the course probably helped Thursday.
He said he stayed patient on the front nine, making one birdie and one birdie in an even-par 35, waiting for opportunities on the easier back nine.
“You still gotta hit the shots and make the putts,” he said. “I just tried to play safe on the front nine. Coming down the stretch 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 — I feel like they are birdie holes. Finishing the last three holes with three birdies in a row on 16, 17, 18 was pretty cool.”
For Nazareth, it was an outstanding — but difficult — week. In December, Starmount will close for several months for renovations.
“Trying to host an event and make sure that everything goes well is of hard,” Nazareth said. “If you have a good staff, you kind of let them do their thing.”
Noah Connor would have rather been in Southern California this week rather than playing in the N.C. Open at Starmount Forest Country Club. And that sentiment was probably shared by the rest of the field.
Connor, a recent UNC Greensboro graduate and the defending Carolinas Open champion, shot 7-under-par 64 Wednesday to grab a six-stroke lead after the morning wave of the second round. Combined with his 66 Tuesday had a 12-under 130 total in the Carolinas PGA tournament.
The margin held up Wednesday afternoon with Alistair Tidcombe of Seneca, South Carolina, at 136. Host pro Savio Nazareth added 71 to a first-round 66 to join a tie for third, seven behind, with Seth Sweet of Okatie, S.C., Tyler Jones of Jacksonville and Allen Caldwell of Johns Island, S.C.
Though he can win the tournaments an amateur, Connor (pictured above putting on No. 18) cannot accept first-place money, only $750 in merchandise. The leaders will tee off around 9:30 a.m. in Thursday’s final round.
The Reidsville native tied for 38th place at 5-over 218 in the individual standings last week at the 54-hole NCAA Austin Regional as the Spartans finished in a tie for seventh, nine strokes behind Wake Forest, which claimed the fifth and final qualifying spot for this weekend’s NCAA Championship at La Costa North in Carlsbad, Calif.
Connor did manage to shoot 69 in the regional’s second round.
“I defnitely didn’t play up to my potential,” he said. “I tried my best. I had one really good round. It was fun. The guys on the team are so close.”
UNCG freshman Kelvin Hernandez finished fourth at Austin to grab the regional’s only individual spot at La Costa.
Keenan Royalty of Raleigh, another UNCG player, added 71 to a 67 in the opening round.
Connor made eight birdies Wednesday, four on each side. He made two bogeys on the back, rebounding from his final bogey at 17 with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 18th. Near the turn he made consecutive short birdie putts at Nos. 8, 9 and 10.
“I’m relaxed, trusting what I’m doing,” said Connor. “Not doing anything special. Just trying to give myself chances.”
Connor said he would remain an amateur throughout the summer — at least through qualifying for the U.S. Amateur, which will be held in mid-August at Hazeltine National near Minneapolis.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to play at the U.S. Amateur,” Connor said. “I wanted to give myself one more chance. After the U.S. Am, I’m going to turn pro and go to Q School.”
Connor grew up playing Monroeton Golf Club near his home. He later played at Pennrose Park and Greensboro National.
Along the way, he believes he’s exceeded expectations, giving him the confidence to take a shot at a pro playing career.
“I know the statistics aren’t on my side,” he said, pointing out the small percentage of collegiate golfers that make it to the PGA Tour.
Connor said he doesn’t want to wonder “What if?” years down the road.
“I’m just looking for chances here,” he said. “If I don’t make it, I’ll know I tried. Whatever happens, happens.”
This week at Starmount has afforded him a chance to relax and have fun.
“I love playing with the pros out here,” Connor said. They’re just out here trying to have fun. They don’t get a lot of chance to practice. It’s enjoyable to be around them. It’s a relaxing atmosphere, I think that’s why its so fun to play in it.”
Sparked by leader Michael Brennan, Wake Forest moved up to sixth place Tuesday in the NCAA Austin Regional at the University of Texas Golf Club.
Brennan shot 3-under-par 68 to grab the individual lead at 7-under 135 as the Demon Deacons pulled within two strokes of Utah for the fifth and final qualifying spot for the NCAA Championship. UNC Greensboro remains in contention, four strokes behind Wake in the 13-team competition.
Wake shot 3-under 281 as a team, an improvement of eight strokes from the first round. Texas holds a 10-stroke lead at 22-under 546 over Tennessee. Notre Dame and Brigham Young round out the top four entering Wednesday’s final round.
Brennan could advance as an individual if he earns medalist honors and Wake does not qualify as a team. Brennan has a one-shot lead over a trio of Texas players. Collin Adams, who shot 70 Tuesday, and Scotty Kennon, who shot 71, are tied for 25th at 143. Marshall Meisel shot 72 after an opening-round 77.
UNCG freshman Kelvin Hernandez is tied for 10th after rounds of 67 and 72. Randall Hudson has posted rounds of 72 and 71. Noah Connor of Reidsville shot 69 for 144, Symon Balbin is at 147 after rounds of 74 and 73.
The third round of the NCAA Regional at Finley Golf Course in Chapel Hill was suspended by rain on Tuesday with the leading teams playing five holes or less.
Host North Carolina did manage to pull within four shots of leader East Tennessee with a 6-under-par start. The Tar Heels are 19-under for the 54-hole tournament. Clemson is in second, one shot ahead of UNC. The teams played almost two full rounds Monday in anticipation of Tuesday’s foul weather.
N.C. State’s Nick Mathews of Mebane, playing as an individual, did not start. Mathews would have a one-stroke lead on the single individual qualifying spot for the NCAA Championship If Georgia Tech and Baylor hold on to the other two team slots. Long Beach and Alabama are within four shots of Baylor.
Mathews did complete the last few holes of his second-round 66 for 7-under 133 early Tuesday morning.
Pinecrest, Terry Sanford, Seaforth and Mitchell won titles at the North Carolina State High School Association Championships held at separate courses.
Pennson Badgett of East Surry (pictured) shot 68 Tuesday for a 4-under-par 140 total at Stonebridge Golf Club in Monroe to lead the Cardinals to a fourth-place finish in Class AA, 39 shots behind Pittsboro Seaforth. East Surry shot 19-over 633 for 36 holes. Ty Willoughby of Seaforth was medalist at 135.
In 4A, Carson Bartagnole of Pinecrest was medalist with consecutive rounds of 68, including a hole-in-one Monday at Pinehurst No. 9. The Southern Pines team finished at 14-under 562, 14 strokes ahead of second-place New Hanover. Northern Guilford finished eighth and Grimsley placed 12th.
In 3A, Terry Sanford of Fayetteville finished at 9-under 567 at Longleaf Club in Pinehurst to beat Rose by 14. Oak Grove placed fourth at 610 and Southern Alamance shot 642 for 10th. Rich Wills of Belmont Cramer was medalist at 8-under 136.
In 1A, Bakersville Mitchell shot 474 to beat Mount Airy by three strokes in a tournament shortened to 27 holes due to Tuesday’s rain at 7 Lakes. Connor Warren of Mitchell was medalist with 1-over 107. Hiatt Shockley of Mount Airy tied for third at 112. Bishop McGuinness finished sixth as a team.
Dale Fuller of Raleigh shot 3-under-par 69 Thursday at Holly Ridge Golf Links to hold off Daniel Neveu of Pinehurst by three strokes and win the Carolinas Golf Association N.C. Senior Amateur Championship.
Fuller claimed his first CGA title at 7-under 209. Perennial contender Paul Simson of Raleigh tied for third with Tee Burton of Shelby and Jonathan Sielsky of Huntersville at 213.
Fuller’s was sharp from the start in the final round, making birdies on holes 2, 4, and 7. He shot even-par 36 on the back nine for the comfortable victory.
“I drove it really well. I was just really solid tee to green, and was able to make a few putts,” said Fuller, who has been in contention in several CGA events. “This is my first CGA win so it feels great. It’s been a long time coming; I thought I should’ve already had one, but I’m very proud to be the champion here for sure.”
Greensboro’s Marc Cox, a longtime member at Holly Ridge, entered the day tied for the lead with Fuller. Cox had shot 68 Tuesday to lead after the opening round.
Hindered by a triple-bogey at No. 12, Cox closed with 75 and finished in a tie for sixth at 1-under. With bogeys on the final two holes, he shot 39 on the back nine. Cox also had a triple-bogey on the fourth hole in the second round.
Rachel Kuehn tied for medalist honors at 12-under-par 204 to lead Wake Forest to a third-place finish behind Ole Miss and Texas on Wednesday at the women’s NCAA Regional at Bermuda Run’s East Course.
Kuehn shot 69 in the final round, but was caught by Ole Miss’ Caitlyn Macnab, who closed with 67 in the same group, including a bogey-free run of six birdies on the final 13 holes. Texas played the final four holes in 1-under.
Powered by Macnab, Ole Miss finished at 21-under 843 in the 54-hole regional, one ahead of Texas and three ahead of Wake, which led most of the day. Wake’s five-player lineup played the last four holes in 6-over. Ole Miss shot 3-under and Texas was 1-under over the same stretch.
Macy Pate, a Winston-Salem resident, shot a steady 71 tied for seventh at 6-under. The freshman was the only Wake player to match par over the final four holes. Pate’s highlight was an eagle on the 378-yard par-4 11th hole. Kuehn eagled the 538-yard sixth.
Mississippi State finished fourth. Oregon State was fifth. The top five teams qualified for the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa Resort on May 17-22.
