CARLSBAD, Calif. — After 54 holes of stroke play, the field of 30 teams at the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s North Course is now 15 after Sunday evening’s cut.
Illinois is the leader in the clubhouse with 18 holes to go following a 6-under performance Sunday. The Fighting Illini lead Virginia by six shots and are the only team under par (2 under) after three rounds. Vanderbilt is third at 9 over and five behind Virginia.
Ohio State’s Adam Wallin is at 5 under and leads by two in the individual competition, but Virginia sophomore Ben James and Stanford’s Karl Vilips are at 3 under. Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent is three back.
Come Monday, the top eight teams after the final round of stroke play will make match play, which begins Tuesday morning.
NCAA: Team scores | Individual scores | Photos
Meet the 15 teams who made the first cut at Omni La Costa:
Mike Small’s bunch conquered the difficult back nine on Sunday, shooting 6 under during the closing stretch to take the outright lead going into Monday’s final round of stroke play. The Fighting Illini made match play last year, and they’re seemingly a lock this year with plenty of shots between them and the top eight. Max Herendeen (2 under) and Tyler Goecke (1 under) are pacing Illinois.
Virginia is also looking to punch its tickets back into match play. The 36-hole leader struggled a bit on the back nine but remains solo second and well positioned. Ben James is solo third at 3 under, two back of the individual lead.
The Commodores came into the week as one of the favorites, and they’re doing their best to make up for missing match play last year. Junior Gordon Sargent, the 2021 individual champion, is three back of the lead after a 2-under 70 on Sunday.
The Seminoles reached the semifinals last year and came up short against their in-state rivals, but they are in a great position after posting 2 under on Sunday, their lowest round in the NCAA Championship this year. Luke Clanton is 1 under for the tournament and shot 70 in the third round.
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