Woodland Earns NCAA Regional Bid

May 8, 2006

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Junior golfer Gary Woodland was one of nine players selected to compete as an individual in the 2006 NCAA Championships, the selection committee announced Monday. This marks the first time that Kansas has not made a regional appearance as a team since 1997.

“I am very pleased for Gary,” head coach Ross Randall said. “He certainly deserves it and has played very well to get here.”

Woodland was selected to the Central regional, which will be played May 18-20 at the Sand Ridge Golf Club in Chardon, Ohio. The event will be hosted by Cleveland State University.

The Berryton, Kan., native led the Jayhawks with a 73.21 stroke average during the spring and had three top-10 finishes. He led Kansas in three of the team’s seven tournaments in the spring and had a season-low round of 67 which he carded in the second round of the 2006 Pioneer Classic. Woodland finished in a tie for seventh at the Big 12 Championship in Tulsa, Okla. last week.

Woodland played Sand Ridge this past fall at the Cleveland State Invitational, where he took first place with a three round total of 202 (three sub-70 rounds).

A total of 324 participants have been selected for the regional competition. Of these players, 126 will advance to the championships finals. Eight teams and two individuals will advance from each region. The championships finals will be held May 31-June 3 at the Crosswater Golf Club in Sunriver, Oregon.