The No. 22 UCF men’s golf team is heading back to the NCAA Championship. The Knights finished fifth at the NCAA Regionals at the Stanford Golf Course Saturday to advance to the championship for the fifth time in program history.
Head coach Bryce Wallor’s team concluded the regional at 5-under 835, just two shots ahead of sixth-place Tennessee. The top five teams at each of the six regional sites nationally advanced to the NCAA Championship, which is set for May 29-June 3 in Pacific Palisades, Calif. The Knights last played in the championship in 2009.
UCF entered the final round in eighth but carded a 2-under 278 Saturday, compared to 4-over for Tennessee. Four of the Knights’ five golfers had par or better rounds on the final 18, led by Jose Joia and Ricardo Gouveia, who both posted 1-under 69 rounds. Joia finished tied for eighth at 5-under 205, while fellow sophomore Gouveia tied for 18th (208, -2).
“We are ecstatic,” Wallor said. “Going into the last round, we knew we were ready to play. Our guys flat out got it done.”
Brad Schneider and Greg Eason both recorded 70s (E) Saturday and tied for 27th at 211 (+1).
No. 2 California won the regional title at 815 (-25). No. 14 San Diego State placed second at 821 (-9), followed by UAB (830, -10) and No. 8 Stanford (832, -8).
UCF was making its sixth-consecutive NCAA Regional appearance and its third under Wallor.
“I am very happy for our team. I am so proud of them for putting their nose down and doing that they needed to do,” Wallor said.