Open Announce

Fourteen Teams Headed to ABQ for NCAA Men’s Golf Regional at UNM South

by Frank Mercogliano

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Fourteen teams, including the host University of New Mexico, were selected to compete in the 2021 NCAA Men’s Golf Southwest Regional, one of six sites for the 2021 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships.

Along with The University of New Mexico and the UNM South Championship Course, NCAA regionals will take place at five other courses: The Sagamore Club in  Noblesville, Ind. (hosted by Ball State and Hamilton County Sports Authority), the Seminole Legacy Golf Club in Tallahassee, Fla. (hosted by Florida State), Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla. (hosted by Oklahoma State), The Golf Club of Tennessee in Kingston Springs, Tenn. (hosted by Vanderbilt and Nashville Sports Council Teams) and the Tumble Creek Golf & Country Club in Cle Elum, Wash. (hosted by Washington).

Six 54-hole regional tournaments will be conducted May 17-19. Thirteen teams and 10 individuals not on those teams will compete at each of three regionals while the other three regionals will have 14 teams and five individuals not on those teams. The low five teams and the low individual not on those teams from each regional will advance to the finals.

MORE: Live updates from the 2021 NCAA DI men’s golf championships

Team and individual medalist titles will be decided May 28-June 2 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. Arizona State and The Thunderbirds are the hosts for the 2021 championships.

The Albuquerque Regional will be contested at the UNM South Championship Course, designed by Robert (Red) Lawrence.  The 7,562-yard course was built in 1967 and features blue and rye grass in the fairways and a mix of Bent and Poa Annua grass on the greens.  The course was the site of the NCAA Men’s National Championships in 1976, 1992 and 1998 for the NCAA Women’s National Championships in 1987 and 2008.  The course will host a 2022 Women’s NCAA regional as well.

Among the many honors the course has earned include:

*Golf Week Best Courses You Can Play State-by-State, #7, 2015
*Golf Week Best Golf Courses, Campus Courses, #21, 2014
*Best Public Golf Course in New Mexico, #5, Golf.com, 2014
*”Top 40 Daily Fee Courses in America” Golf & Travel Magazine, 2000-01
*”A four-star award in Places to Play” Golf Digest Magazine, 2000-01
*”Fourth Best Course in New Mexico” Golf Digest Magazine, 2001
*”#1 College Course Open to Non-members” New England Financial Journal, 1999
*”Top 100 Courses You Can Play” Golf Magazine, 1996, 1998-99
*”America’s Best Public Golf Courses, Top 25″ Golf Digest, 1988

The top four seeds in the regional were all at-large selections, headed by Oklahoma, the nation’s top-ranked team.  The Sooners have finished at least third in all 11 tournaments this season, winning three of them.  The Sooners finished second in the Big 12 Championships, one stroke behind No. 3 Oklahoma State.  Three other nationally-ranked teams are headed to Albuquerque, rounding out the top-four seeds.  No. 2 seed Arizona State is ranked No. 9, No. 3 seed Texas A&M is tied for a No. 14 ranking, and No. 4 seed Texas Tech is ranked 19.  New Mexico, currently receiving votes, is the No. 5 seed for the regional, and Stanford, also receiving votes, is seeded sixth.

The host Lobos won the 2021 Mountain West title, a league-record eighth title, last week, shooting a -19 on the final day to force a playoff with Nevada. The Lobos’ third-round score of 269 broke the record for lowest single-round total in tournament history. UNM then won the playoff on the first hole to take the title and earn the league’s automatic bid into the NCAAs.  The Lobos only played a spring schedule in 2020-21, yet are receiving votes in the national poll, earning the No. 5 seed.

Along with UNM, two other Mountain West programs will play in Albuquerque as Boise State (the No. 8 seed) and Nevada (the No. 10 seed) will make the trip.  New Mexico State (the No. 12 seed) is also in the field.

For more information on the UNM South Championship Course, go to http://unmgolf.com/championship-course/

Fans will be allowed to attend the 2021 NCAA Golf Regionals at the UNM South Championship Course, although due to the current health order, fans will need to abide by all COVID safety regulations including masks and remaining socially distant on the course.  Fans may not interact with the golfers and officials in any way due to COVID and testing protocols for the student-athletes, coaches and event staff.

Seeds (Nat. Rk) Teams (Automatic Bid)
1. (1) Oklahoma
2. (9) Arizona State
3. (T14) Texas A&M
4. (19) Texas Tech
5. (RV) New Mexico (Mountain West)
6. (RV) Stanford
7. Oregon State
8. Boise State
9. South Carolina
10. Nevada
11. San Diego
12. New Mexico State [Western Athletic]
13. Oakland [Horizon]
14. Prairie View A&M [Southwestern]
Individuals
1. Tommy Stephenson, Fresno State
2. Daniel O’Loughlin, Colorado
3. Blake Hathcoat, St. Mary’s (CA)
4. Gavin Cohen, LMU
5. Riley Lewis, LMU