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NCAA Men's Regionals: Florida State goes low at home, Clemson and Oklahoma struggle

College golf’s championship season continues this week with men’s Division I regional play at six locations across the country.

Three of the six regional championship sites will have 13 teams and 10 individuals competing, while the other three will have 14 teams and five individuals (81 teams and 45 individuals, total). Tournaments will be held from Monday, May 17 through Wednesday, May 19.

The top five teams (30 total) and the low individual (six total) not on a qualifying team from each regional will advance to the NCAA Div. I Men’s Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, May 28-June 2.

Below you’ll find a recap, as well as a breakdown of what to watch for from each regional as play concludes from all four sites.

Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Men’s team | Men’s individual
College golf blog: The Road to Grayhawk

Tallahassee Regional

Team leader: Florida State, -17

Individual leader: Kieran Vincent, Liberty, -7

The hook: Florida State’s newly renovated Seminole Legacy Golf Course in Tallahassee is making its postseason debut. Judging by the Seminoles’ 17-under first-round total, the home-course advantage is significant. Earlier this year, Florida State head coach Trey Jones called it a game-changer – one that develops every part of every player’s game.

Florida State threw out 24 teams birdies in the first round alone to catapult to the top of the leaderboard at 17 under, an NCAA program record. John Pak, a week removed from the Walker Cup, is tied for second after a 67.

If the cut were today: 1. Florida State; 2. Georgia Tech; 3. Liberty; 4. Ohio State; 5. Georgia

What to watch for Tuesday: This is a big week for Liberty, the No. 3 seed (which is the Flames’ highest-ever seed in 11 NCAA Regional appearances) and the No. 19-ranked team in the Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking. The Flames finished in the top five in all seven spring starts, topping teams like Florida State and Oklahoma State when it won the Timuquana Collegiate early spring.

Liberty is 12 off Florida State’s lead in Tallahassee, but five shots ahead of Kansas and Davidson in sixth place.

Noblesville Regional

Team leader: Texas, -6

Individual leaders: Travis Vick, Texas, -4

The hook: Texas is crazy good at golf. Motivated after a third-place finish at the Big 12 Championship, four Longhorns are in the top 30 after the first round, with three inside the top 11, led by Vick, a sophomore who boasts some serious game. Pierceson Coody and Cole Hammer, who each competed last week at the Walker Cup, sit T-4 and T-11, respectively.

Texas didn’t win at the pace their accustomed to this season, but the three players with national championship experience are getting hot at the right time. Watch out.

If the cut were today: 1. Texas; T-2. Tennessee; T-2. North Florida; T-2. North Carolina; 5. Louisville

What to watch for Tuesday: All of the top five seeds in the region find themselves currently inside the cut line. On the outside looking in is UNCW, the No. 9 seed who sit sixth, two shots back after a 2-over performance on Monday. The Seahawks were forced to withdraw from the Colonial Athletic Association Championship last month due to “COVID-19 protocols within the Seahawks’ program” but find themselves in position to make a move.

Kingston Springs Regional

Team leaders: North Carolina State and Kent State, -7

Individual leader: Reid Davenport, Vanderbilt, -6

The hook: N.C. State pulled off some impressive scoring this season, playing a stretch of four tournaments in 106 under par and winning all four titles. Given that reputation, it isn’t that surprising to see the Wolfpack at the top of the leaderboard at the Golf Club of Tennessee. Three N.C. State players brought in rounds under par, including Ben Shipp (who has now played his last 13 straight competitive rounds at par or better) and Maximilian Steinlechner (whose 5-under 66 is a career low).

Credit to Kent State, meanwhile, for playing above its No. 8 seed.

If the cut were today: T-1, N.C. State; T-1. Kent State; T-3. Vanderbilt; T-3. Houston; 5. San Diego State

What to watch for Tuesday: After one round, Clemson is on the outside looking in. These are the final days at the helm for longtime head coach Larry Penley, who is retiring after leading the Tigers to the ACC team title. Penley’s teams have advanced to the national championship 29 times in his 38 years coaching. The team will need to rally to move up from its current position of seventh.

Albuquerque Regional

Team leader: Oregon State, -7

Individual leader: Jonathan Brightwell, Oklahoma, -6

The hook: A year ago, when the season ended prematurely because of COVID, Oregon State had just won the Bandon Dunes Championship and was ranked No. 36. Consider the Beavers, a No. 7 seed at the UNM Championship Course this week, one of those sleeper teams hoping to get to the NCAA Championship this year. Oregon State has advanced to the national championship nine times before, but hasn’t gone as a team since 2010.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day? Top-ranked Oklahoma is sitting in a tie for ninth after playing the first round in 1 over. Fortunately, that’s only eight shots off the lead, but the Sooners will need to rally to get back up the leaderboard and avoid what would be a shocking miss.

If the cut were today: 1. Oregon State; 2. Texas Tech; T-3. New Mexico; T-3. Texas A&M; T-5. South Carolina; T-5. Arizona State; T-5. Nevada

South Carolina, Arizona State and Nevada would compete in a playoff for the final spot.

What to watch for Tuesday: It’s a tight leaderboard from Oregon State at 7 under to the three teams tied for fifth at 3 under. Arizona State, of course, has extra pressure as the national-championship host. Keep an eye on South Carolina this week, too. The Gamecocks are a No. 9 seed, but the No. 31-ranked team in the Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking is performing much better than that and would be a good bet to advance from Albuquerque.

Cle Elum Regional

Team leaders: Wake Forest and San Francisco, -6

Individual leaders: Petr Hruby (Washington) and Christoffer Palsson (San Francisco), -5

If the cut were today: T-1. Wake Forest; T-1. San Francisco; 3. Pepperdine; T-4. East Tennessee State; T-4 Washington

The hook: The first round of the Cle Elum regional proved that rankings and seedings are just numbers. Sure, No. 1 seed Wake Forest is atop the leaderboard, but they’re joined by San Francisco, the No. 5 seed. Right behind the leaders is Pepperdine, the No. 2 seed that’s a favorite for the national title after five wins between the fall and spring. Don’t sleep on the Dons, who have won four times this spring.

On the outside looking in are the Nos. 3-4 seeds Florida (8th, even) and Arizona (12th, 7 over)

What to watch for Tuesday: Ten teams are within 10 shots of the lead, but let’s focus on one that’s just two shots back. East Tennessee State went wire-to-wire to claim the Southern Conference title for its first win of the season and has carried that momentum into regional play. The Buccaneers made a statement with a 4 under effort in the first round to play their way into contention. Can they keep it up?

Stillwater Regionial

Team leaders: Oklahoma State, -17

Individual leaders: Noah Goodwin, SMU, -11

If the cut were today: 1. Oklahoma State; 2. Illinois; 3. SMU; 4. Baylor; 5. Northwestern

The hook: With an unfavorable forecast for the week, 36 holes were played on Monday in Stillwater. A few teams, and one player in particular, stood out. Playing at home, Oklahoma State followed an even-par morning with a 17-under afternoon to take a two-shot lead at home over Illinois. The third team to go double-digits under par in the afternoon, SMU shot 11 under to jump into third place at 6 under. The Mustangs were guided by individual leader Noah Goodwin, who fired rounds of 66-67 to take a five-shot lead at 11 under.

What to watch for Tuesday: The battle for qualification. Five teams are within nine shots of the final two spots, currently held by Baylor and Northwestern, the Nos. 7 and 11 seeds, respectively. If weather keeps the full 54 holes from being played, there may be some surprise teams packing their bags for Phoenix.

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