Texas in Middle of Pack at NCAA Men’s Golf Championships

Longhorns still have two rounds to make up ground as they try to win their first NCAA team title since 2012

The Texas Longhorns are in the middle of the pack after the first round of the Men’s NCAA Golf Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Friday.

The Longhorns finished with a 13-over-par 293. At the time they finished, they were in a tie for 14th place with Stanford. By the time the rest of the groups finished, Texas was in a tie for 11th.

The Longhorns were coming off a fourth-place finish at the Norman Regional, one that allowed the Longhorns to clinch their 15th straight trip to nationals, which is the nation’s longest current streak. 

Texas Longhorns Golf

Texas Longhorns Golf

Texas Longhorns Golf

Cole Hammer led the Longhorns on Friday. Hammer had Texas’ worst 54-hole score at regionals. But, on Friday, he finished with a 1-over-par 71, which put him in the Top 20.

From there, Parker Coody shot an 2-over-par 72, while Pierceson Coody shot a 4-over-par 74.

Travis Vick, who qualified for the U.S. Open earlier this week, struggled with a 6-over-par 76. Vick was coming off a second-place finish at the Norman Regional, a tournament in which he shot back-to-back 67s.

Mason Nome rounded out the Texas lineup with a 77.

Vanderbilt shot the best round of the day as a team, with a 2-over-par 282. Behind the Commodores in a tie for second three shots back were Oregon and Auburn. Kansas, which slipped into the NCAA Championships as a fifth-place finisher, finished in a tie for fourth with Arizona four shots back.

After that, Oklahoma was in sixth place, followed by North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Arizona State and Liberty.

Texas hasn’t won a national title since 2012.

After 54 holes at Grayhawk, the field will be cut to the Top 15 teams on Sunday night. The Top 15 will advance to the final round of stroke play on Monday. After Monday’s fourth round, the field will be cut to the Top 8 and those teams will advance to match play to determine the team championship.

Quarterfinal and semifinal matches will be played on Tuesday, and the championship match will be played on Wednesday.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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