The NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Committee has selected the teams and individuals that will participate in the 2006 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships. The 22nd-ranked Kentucky team will head to the Central Region for the third straight year.
The Cats will travel to Chardon, Ohio, to play Sand Ridge Golf Course, May 18-20, in the regional competition. Kentucky earned the seventh seed behind No. 1 Oklahoma State, No. 2 Georgia Tech, No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Clemson, No. 5 Duke and No. 6 Texas. Tulsa, Northwestern and Minnesota round out the top 10.
The Wildcats won the Central Region in 2004 and tied for fourth in the Central last season in South Bend, Ind. The Cats then went on to finish a school-best seventh in the NCAA Championships in Owings Mills, Md.
?We have a very young team and it is an honor to be back in the NCAA Central Regional,? said head coach Brian Craig. ?It is a very competitive field but I like our chances with the talent and courage of this team. We will be ready come May 18 to play our best and see if we can earn another trip to the NCAA finals.?
The championships will be conducted May 31-June 3 at Crosswater Golf Club at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Oregon. The University of the Portland is the host institution for this year?s championships.
Three regional tournaments, encompassing the current nine regions, will be conducted May 18-20. A total of 27 teams and six individuals not on selected teams were assigned to each regional site. Ten teams and two individuals not on advancing teams will move on from each regional to the championship finals.
A complete list of the teams and individuals in the Central Region are below. Teams winning automatic qualification are designated by their conferences in parentheses.
CENTRAL REGIONAL
Sand Ridge Golf Course in Chardon, Ohio
Hosted by Cleveland State University
Teams (seeded in the following order):
1. Oklahoma State
2. Georgia Tech (Atlantic Coast)
3. Texas A & M
4. Clemson
5. Duke
6. Texas
7. Kentucky
8. Tulsa
9. Northwestern (Big Ten)
10. Minnesota
11. Lamar (Southland)
12. Kent State (MAC)
13. Oklahoma (Big 12)
14. TCU
15. Purdue
16. Southern Methodist (Conference USA)
17. Xavier
18. Texas-Arlington
19. Colorado
20. Missouri
21. Nebraska
22. Kansas State
23. Eastern Kentucky (Ohio Valley)
24. Cleveland State (Horizon League)
25. Siena (Metro Atlantic Athletic)
26. Princeton (Ivy Group)
27. St. Francis (Pennsylvania) (Northeast)
Individuals
1. Matt Bortis, Arkansas
2. Kane Hanson, Drake
3. Gary Woodland, Kansas
4. Korey Mahoney, Eastern Michigan
5. Patrick Nagle, Illinois
6. Ryan Brehm, Michigan State
