BYU a disappointing ninth after opening round of NCAA golf regional
Defending Utah State Amateur champion Zac Jones fired a 3-under 69 to lead BYU’s golf team in the opening round of the NCAA Morgan Hill Regional on Monday at The Institute Golf Club.
Jones, a Lone Peak High product, is tied for fifth in the race for medalist honors. The 54-hole tournament, which is a qualifier for the NCAA Finals May 26-31 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, resumes Tuesday with the second round at the 7,561-yard layout outside San Jose, California.
Missouri’s Alfonso Bondesson shot a 67 to take the first-round lead.
Utah’s Javier Marcos, competing as an individual because the Utes did not qualify as a team, shot a 1-under 71 and is tied for 19th place.
Related
Homegrown talent lifted BYU to WCC golf championship. Here’s how
These BYU golfers did something very unusual, if not historic
Why BYU may have an edge at ‘Area 51’ of private courses in NCAA golf regional
BYU shot even-par 288 as a team and is in ninth place, 12 shots off the lead. Jones made four birdies on the back nine to rescue a mediocre round.
The Cougars counted 72s from Carson Lundell and David Timmins and a 75 from former Skyline High star Tyson Shelley to get to 288. Max Brenchley added a noncounting 76 as only the top four scores are counted.
Mississippi State leads at 12-under 276.
The low five teams from each of six 54-hole regional tournaments advance to the finals, so the No. 43-ranked Cougars have some work to do after winning the WCC tournament on April 29.
Meanwhile, two-time Utah State Amateur champ Preston Summerhays, who plays for Arizona State, shot a 10-under 62 at the Las Vegas Regional at Bear’s Best Golf Club and leads that tournament by a stroke over Stanford’s Michael Thorbjornsen.
Summerhays’ round featured two eagles, seven birdies and a bogey.
Utah Valley’s Brady McKinlay, competing as an individual in Las Vegas, shot a 66 and is tied for seventh. McKinlay is a senior from Lacombe, Alberta, Canada.
