Gamecocks Finish Second in Tuscaloosa, Advance to NCAA Championship

May 18, 2016

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2016 NCAA TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL
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GAMECOCK SCORECARDS

Sean Kelly
Round 1: 71
Round 2: 72
Round 3: 72
To Par: -1
Place: T10th

Matt NeSmith
Round 1: 70
Round 2: 70
Round 3: 68
To Par: -8
Place: 2nd

Will Starke
Round 1: 73
Round 2: 72
Round 3: 73
To Par: +2
Place: 20th

Keenan Huskey
Round 1: 73
Round 2: 68
Round 3: 73
To Par: -2
Place: 9th

Scott Stevens
Round 1: 74
Round 2: 77
Round 3: 70
To Par: +5
Place: T30th

Pos.	Team	R1	R2	R3	Total
1.	Georgia	284	282	282	848 (-16)
2.	South Carolina	287	282	283	852 (-12)
3.	Alabama	292	284	281	857 (-7)
4.	Kentucky	288	287	283	858 (-6)
5.	Auburn	294	290	283	867 (+3)
6.	UNLV	290	303	282	875 (+11)
6.	College of Charleston	298	295	294	887 (+23)
T8.	Lipscomb	302	300	288	890 (+26)
T8.	Colorado	296	306	288	890 (+26)
10.	Kansas	308	301	305	914 (+50)
11.	Charleston Southern	315	310	291	916 (+52)
12.	Harvard	323	298	301	922 (+58)
13.	Southern Illinois	314	308	301	923 (+59)

Dates: May 16-18

Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Course: Ol’ Colony Golf Complex

Par: 72

Yards: 7,514

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of South Carolina Men’s Golf team clinched a spot at the NCAA Championship for the fourth consecutive season on Wednesday as the Gamecocks finished second at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional. Carolina shot 283 (-5) in the final round to post a three-day score of 852 (-12).

Georgia won the Regional, finishing with a three-round total of 848 (-16) to pace the field by four strokes. The Gamecocks and Bulldogs will be joined by fellow SEC members Alabama (857, -7), Kentucky (858, -6) and Auburn (867, +3) at the NCAA Championship, which will be held May 27 — June 1 in Eugene, Ore.

Senior Matt NeSmith led South Carolina individually with a three-round score of 208 (-8). NeSmith finished second overall, one stroke behind Georgia’s Greyson Sigg (207, -9).

The Gamecocks were the only team to put three individuals in the top-10 in Tuscaloosa. Joining NeSmith were Keenan Huskey (214, -2), who grabbed ninth, and Sean Kelly (215, -1), who tied for 10th.

NeSmith shot 68 (-4) on Wednesday, matching the best round of the tournament from a Gamecock. The senior carded seven birdies on the day, including a birdie on the par-4 18th hole.

Huskey posted a 73 (+1) to close his tournament one day after setting the pace for the Gamecocks with a 68. The sophomore finished with six birdies on the day and ended the week with his highest postseason finish to date.

Kelly came home with a second-straight 72 (E) on Wednesday, which included three birdies. The redshirt senior matched his T-10th finish from the SEC Championship in April, equaling his best career postseason result.

Will Starke finished 20th in Tuscaloosa, with a three-round score of 218 (+2). The senior finished the tournament by shooting 73 (+1) on Wednesday. His round included four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 14th hole.

Scott Stevens posted his best round of the tournament on Wednesday, shooting 70 (-2). The freshman recorded five birdies in the last round and tied for 30th overall, with a score of 221 (+5).

Quoting Coach Bill McDonald

“I couldn’t be prouder of the guys and the way they played. Matt just played some incredible golf, and I’m proud of our freshman, Scott Stevens, and how he came out today and gave us an under-par round. There’s a lot to be happy about this week, and I’m looking forward to getting to Oregon.”

Round Changer

NeSmith was under par every round at the Tuscaloosa Regional and has now broken par in five of his last six Regional rounds. His second-place result matches a career best at an NCAA Regional after he tied for second in Columbus, Ohio, in 2013. It’s the fourth individual Regional podium finish in Gamecocks history, joining Kyle Thompson’s medalist victories in 1999 and 2001.

Notable

South Carolina will be making its 20th NCAA Championship appearance.
This is the second time the Gamecocks have made four straight NCAA Championships and the first time since 1996-99.
NeSmith and Starke will be the first Gamecocks to appear at four NCAA Championships.
The Gamecocks have now finished as runner-up at NCAA Regionals five times, including three of the last four years.

Up Next for the Gamecocks

The 2016 NCAA Championship runs May 27-June 1 at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore. Golf Channel will provide live television coverage of the final three days of the event, and live scoring is available through Golfstat.com.