Men’s golf ready for NCAA Regional
STOCKTON, Calif. – For the third-straight season, the Kansas men’s golf team will be gunning for one of the top-5 spots at the NCAA Regional to continue its season at the NCAA Championship. The Jayhawks begin Regional play Monday morning at 10:25 a.m. CT, for the first of three rounds at The Reserve at Spanos Park, a par-72 course that measures at 7,239 yards.
In order to advance to the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2000, KU will have to finish among the top-5 in the 13-team field, which includes No. 6 LSU, No. 8 Alabama, No. 16 Stanford and No. 19 USC. The field also has some familiar faces with Big 12 Conference foes TCU and Iowa State. The Jayhawks studied the course during Sunday’s practice round and head coach Jamie Bermel offered some insights.
“We need to do a good job of managing the hard holes,” Bermel said. “The par-5’s are pretty manageable, but this course has some very demanding par-4’s. I also believe the wind will be a factor this week as the forecast calls for 10-15 mph winds each day.”
That wind could play right into the hands of the Jayhawks, which were tabbed as one of the “six teams that could surprise at the NCAA Men’s Golf Regionals,” by Golfweek. Bermel will roll out the same lineup the Jayhawks have used for each of the last seven events.
Sophomore Andy Spencer will take the No. 1 slot for the Crimson & Blue (teeing off at 11:09 a.m. CT), followed by senior Daniel Sutton (teeing off at 10:58 a.m. CT), and junior Charlie Hillier (teeing off at 10:47 a.m. CT). The Jayhawk lineup will be rounded off be senior Daniel Hudson (teeing off at 10:36 a.m. CT), and freshman Harry Hillier (teeing off at 10:25 a.m. CT).
“The key in post season is getting off to a good start in the first round,” Bermel said. “I think the guys are looking forward to the challenge.”
The Jayhawks will enter the NCAA Regional with seven top-5 finishes in its last eight events, and a total of nine on the season.
Live scoring for the NCAA Regional is available at golfstat.com.
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