NCAA men’s golf: BYU finishes in tie for 23rd place at national championship

BYU’s No. 37-ranked men’s golf team finished in a tie for 23rd place at the NCAA Division I Championships after the other 29 teams in the field completed the third round on Sunday.

To avoid competing on Sunday, the Cougars played their third round last Thursday, firing a disappointing score of 23-over 303 to all but ensure they wouldn’t make the 15-team cut for Monday’s final round of stroke play.

The Cougars improved considerably in rounds one and two, but the damage was done.

BYU finished at 39-over 879, adding Friday’s score of 9-over and Saturday’s score of 7-over to that tally from Thursday when the Cougars played alone using the pin placements and yardages that would be utilized Sunday by the other teams and golfers.

No team that played Sunday shot worse than the 19-over 299 turned in by Oregon.

The cut came at 26-over, meaning a score Thursday similar to the one BYU shot on Friday or Saturday would have gotten the Cougars into the final round.

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In the individual race, BYU’s outgoing seniors, Carson Lundell and David Timmins, finished at 11-over to tie for 94th place. Sophomore Tyson Shelley shot 12-over to tie for 106th, sophomore Zac Jones shot 14-over to tie for 115th and junior Max Brenchley shot 15-over to tie for 122nd.

Illinois enters Monday’s final round in first place at 6-under 834, while WCC runner-up Pepperdine is three shots back at 837.

The eight lowest-shooting teams after Monday’s final stroke play round will advance to match play on Tuesday.