Baylor MGOLF Returns to NCAA Championships with a Fourth-Place Finish in Morgan Hill

[Roberts, Matt]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – May 17, 2023

Baylor MGOLF Returns to NCAA Championships with a Fourth-Place Finish in Morgan Hill
BU will make its fifth appearance in seven seasons at the NCAAs
For more information, contact: Matt Roberts, 254-227-2280, WM_Roberts at Baylor.edu<mailto:WM_Roberts at Baylor.edu>

MORGAN HILL, Calif. – Baylor men’s golf finished off a 9-over 873 on Wednesday to finish fourth at the Morgan Hill Regional and clinch a spot in the NCAA Championships for the 10th time in program history.

The Bears were led Wednesday by sophomore Drew Wrightson, who fired a bogey-free 3-under 69 to buoy BU. His final-round 69 was a 15-shot improvement from Tuesday and marked his second under-par round of the tournament.

Baylor finished 10 shots back of regional champion Mississippi State and two shots clear of Pepperdine, which was the final team to advance with an 11-over 875. Florida State’s Luke Clanton took home the individual title with a 6-under 210. Johnny Keefer finished tied for 15th to spearhead the Bears’ effort.

THE RUNDOWN
A day after shooting 10-over on the front nine, Wrightson went out with a bogey-free 36 on Tuesday. As he turned to the back nine, he dipped into red figures with a birdie at No. 11, and backed it up with two more at Nos. 14 and 17 to polish off one of just three rounds in the 60s on Tuesday. Wrightson finished his NCAA regional debut in a tie for 42nd place.

Luke Dossey shot his best round of the week on Wednesday with a 2-over 74 to finish in a tie for 42nd with Wrightson. Dossey made an early bogey at No. 2, but bounced back with a birdie at No. 6 to make the turn at even par. After four-straight pars to start the back nine, Dossey dropped back over par with a bogey at No. 14 and added another at No. 18, but still signed for his career-best NCAA regional score.

Tyler Isenhart was Baylor’s second-highest finisher after a 3-over 75 put him in a tie for 24th. The senior bogeyed three of his first four holes but closed his outward nine strong with a birdie at No. 9. After making the turn, Isenhart added a birdie at No. 11 to get back to 1-over for the round, but bogeyed his final two holes to get into the clubhouse with a 75.

Zach Heffernan finished his first postseason event with a 4-over 76 on Wednesday and a tie for 31st. After opening with three-straight pars, Heffernan bogeyed three of his next four holes at Nos. 4, 5 and 7. A birdie at No. 8 had him making the turn with a 2-over 38. On the back nine, the sophomore bogeyed three of his first six holes, but got one more stroke back with a birdie at No. 16.

Keefer was BU’s highest finisher, but shot a 5-over 77 in the final round to card a tie for 15th. Following a bogey at No. 1, Keefer settled in with six-straight pars before dropping a shot at No. 8 to make the turn with a 2-over 38. The senior added a couple more bogeys on the back nine at Nos. 12 and 13, before scratching out a birdie at No. 14. A double bogey at No. 16 would end up dropping him as a counting score, but not before recording his second top-25 finish in an NCAA Regional.

HIGHLIGHTS

  *   Baylor has now advanced to the NCAA Championships in five of Mike McGraw’s eight seasons a tournament has been played.
  *   The Bears had the third-best par-4 scoring average for the week (4.11).
  *   Baylor’s 4.95 par-5 scoring average tied for third-best in the field.
  *   BU tied for the most pars this week (183).
  *   Four of BU’s five players made their NCAA Regional debut this week. Of those rookies, Drew Wrightson and Tyler Isenhart each recorded at least one round in the 60s.
  *   Wrightson was one of only five players with a round in the 60s on Wednesday.
  *   Johnny Keefer tied for the third-best par-5 scoring average (4.67).
  *   Zach Heffernan tied for the fifth-best par-3 scoring average (3.00).
  *   Heffernan and Luke Dossey tied for the second-most pars (40).

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Mike McGraw — “This feels really good to advance to the National Championship. It was a team effort in every sense of the word. Drew’s 3-under 69 today was incredible. This team is really looking forward to Grayhawk.”

WHAT'S NEXT
The Bears will compete at the NCAA Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club May 26-31 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

For more information on Baylor Men’s Golf, follow @BaylorMGolf on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.



—BaylorBears.com—





Matt Roberts | Associate Director of Athletic Communications (MBB/MGOLF/ WGOLF)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-227-2280
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