The University of Mississippi Athletics
Photo by: Ole Miss Athletics
Men’s Golf Travels to Norman for NCAA Regionals to Begin Postseason Run
5/14/2023 | Men's Golf
Rebels Look to Return to NCAA Championships for Second Year in a Row
NORMAN, Okla. – The Ole Miss men's golf team opens its NCAA Tournament run this week with the NCAA Norman Regional, set to be played May 15-17 at the Jimmie Austin Golf Club. The Rebs tee off Monday morning at 8:30 a.m. CT.
Composed of a total of 14 teams and five individuals, the Norman Regional stands between the Rebels and what could be just their seventh trip to the NCAA Championships in program history and the first time since 1985 Ole Miss has appeared in back-to-back years. In order to reach that point, however, the Rebels will need to sit in fifth place or better at the conclusion of this week's 54 holes of action.
Only the top five teams and top individual from a non-advancing team will be able to continue their season at Grayhawk Golf Club later this May in Scottsdale, Arizona.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Monday, May 15 – 18 holes of stroke play
Tuesday, May 16 – 18 holes of stroke play
Wednesday, May 17 – 18 holes of stroke play
LINEUP
HUGO TOWNSEND (Gr.)
-- Grabbed third top-10 and seventh top-20 finish at the SEC Championship
-- Has earned a spot in the lineup in every tournament this season for Ole Miss
-- Leads the team with 23 par or better rounds
-- Shot final round of 65 (-5) to advance Ole Miss to the quarterfinals of match play
-- Entering the postseason with a 70.75 stroke average, the lowest on the team
SARUT VONGCHAISIT (Sr.)
-- Earned fourth top-20 finish at the SEC Championship
-- Shot 20 par or better rounds this season
-- Deserved new career bests in low-18 score (64), low-54 score (203), and best individual finish (T1) at the Mossy Oak Collegiate
-- Fourth straight NCAA Regional appearance
-- Entering the postseason with a 71.03 stroke average
CAMERON TANKERSLEY (Fr.)
-- Has earned a spot in the lineup in every tournament this season for Ole Miss
-- Placed in the top 20 six times during his freshman year
-- Holds a stroke average of 71.63 entering the postseason
-- Earned a role on the SEC All-Freshman Team
PATTON SAMUELS (Fr.)
-- Ended the regular season with a season-best finish of tied for 15th at the Mason Rudolph Championship
-- Shot a round score of 67 (-4) in the final round of the Mason Rudolph Championship to give him a 2-under overall score
-- Competed in nine tournaments for Ole Miss in his freshman campaign
-- Grabbed 12 par or better rounds this season
KYE MEEKS (So.)
-- Finished in 27th at the 2022 Norman Regional
-- Made an appearance at the SEC Championship in the first and third round
-- Competing in his 19th tournament in his career
-- Entering his second NCAA Regional appearance with a 71.81 stroke average
CJ EASLEY (Sr.)
-- Made his Rebel debut at the Seminole Intercollegiate as an individual
-- Earned a top-15 finish at 6-over overall
-- Competed in the lineup at the All-American Intercollegiate, helping Ole Miss achieve the tournament title
-- Competing with a 73.83 stroke average
-- First NCAA Regional appearance
THE FIELD (IN ORDER BY SEEDING)
1. #5 Texas Tech
2.#9 Oklahoma
3. #17 Alabama
4. #20 Ole Miss
5. #29 Wake Forest
6. #32 Duke
7. #41 LSU
8. #44 North Florida
9. #52 Colorado
10. #56 Kansas
11. #77 UNCW
12. #133 Louisiana
13. #183 Princeton
14. #270 Arkansas – Pine Bluff
THE COURSE
Bishop Creek, a major artery running through the middle of the Jimmie Austin Golf Club, and the South Canadian River have helped form the terrain for hundreds of years. With its rolling hills, native grasses and majestic Bur Oaks, it is a peaceful beauty not expected from being on the campus of a major university and in the center of Norman. However beautiful and serene it feels; the course can play difficult with its new 77.9-course rating (Championship/Team tees). With five sets of tees, family tees, and even some combo tee options, there is an appropriate length so anyone and everyone will enjoy playing it.
In recognition of this excellence, the course has played host to the 1997 Oklahoma State Amateur and NCAA Regional, the Big 12 Women's Championship in 1998 and 2010, and most notably the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in 2009. The course hosted the 2013 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship and NCAA Regional Championships in 2012, 2018, 2022 (men's) and 2013, 2019 (women's) and is already scheduled to host more NCAA Regional Championships in 2023, and 2025.
THOUGHTS FROM COACH MALLOY
"I know that our guys are eager to get back out and compete this week. We've had a longer layoff than we are used to after our SEC Championship. However, that has given us a chance to rest up and be ready for a run here in the NCAA tournament. Although it's a different grass surface than we are used to, this golf course should be good for this group. We just need to stay patient and take what the golf course gives us."
REBELS TRAVEL BACK TO NORMAN
This is the second straight season Ole Miss has been selected to compete at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club in the Norman Regional. During last year's competition, Ole Miss punched its ticket to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2017 following a third place finish with an 849 (-15) overall score. Former Rebel, Jackson Suber, did something that no Rebel had done before by capturing an individual regional championship. This year's group looks to meet the same expectation and move on to Scottsdale, Arizona for the second year in a row.
IT JUST MEANS MORE GOLF TO PLAY
At the 2023 SEC Championship, Ole Miss capitalized on the final day of stroke play at the SEC Championship to make the cut to match play for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The Rebels shot scores of 275-286-278—839 (-1) to earn a 6th place finish in stroke play.
Coming into the final round in 9th place, the Rebels' backs were against the wall to make the top-8 cut toward match play. Ole Miss responded with three Rebels shooting par or better rounds for the day, including a big three-under back-nine push to move Ole Miss up three spots on the leaderboard. The Rebels went on to face No. 3 seed Florida in match play, falling 4-1.
FOLLOW THE REBELS
For updates throughout the tournament, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMGolf. Additional updates and information on the team can be found on Instagram at OleMissMGolf, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men's Golf and on OleMissSports.com.
Composed of a total of 14 teams and five individuals, the Norman Regional stands between the Rebels and what could be just their seventh trip to the NCAA Championships in program history and the first time since 1985 Ole Miss has appeared in back-to-back years. In order to reach that point, however, the Rebels will need to sit in fifth place or better at the conclusion of this week's 54 holes of action.
Only the top five teams and top individual from a non-advancing team will be able to continue their season at Grayhawk Golf Club later this May in Scottsdale, Arizona.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Monday, May 15 – 18 holes of stroke play
Tuesday, May 16 – 18 holes of stroke play
Wednesday, May 17 – 18 holes of stroke play
LINEUP
HUGO TOWNSEND (Gr.)
-- Grabbed third top-10 and seventh top-20 finish at the SEC Championship
-- Has earned a spot in the lineup in every tournament this season for Ole Miss
-- Leads the team with 23 par or better rounds
-- Shot final round of 65 (-5) to advance Ole Miss to the quarterfinals of match play
-- Entering the postseason with a 70.75 stroke average, the lowest on the team
SARUT VONGCHAISIT (Sr.)
-- Earned fourth top-20 finish at the SEC Championship
-- Shot 20 par or better rounds this season
-- Deserved new career bests in low-18 score (64), low-54 score (203), and best individual finish (T1) at the Mossy Oak Collegiate
-- Fourth straight NCAA Regional appearance
-- Entering the postseason with a 71.03 stroke average
CAMERON TANKERSLEY (Fr.)
-- Has earned a spot in the lineup in every tournament this season for Ole Miss
-- Placed in the top 20 six times during his freshman year
-- Holds a stroke average of 71.63 entering the postseason
-- Earned a role on the SEC All-Freshman Team
PATTON SAMUELS (Fr.)
-- Ended the regular season with a season-best finish of tied for 15th at the Mason Rudolph Championship
-- Shot a round score of 67 (-4) in the final round of the Mason Rudolph Championship to give him a 2-under overall score
-- Competed in nine tournaments for Ole Miss in his freshman campaign
-- Grabbed 12 par or better rounds this season
KYE MEEKS (So.)
-- Finished in 27th at the 2022 Norman Regional
-- Made an appearance at the SEC Championship in the first and third round
-- Competing in his 19th tournament in his career
-- Entering his second NCAA Regional appearance with a 71.81 stroke average
CJ EASLEY (Sr.)
-- Made his Rebel debut at the Seminole Intercollegiate as an individual
-- Earned a top-15 finish at 6-over overall
-- Competed in the lineup at the All-American Intercollegiate, helping Ole Miss achieve the tournament title
-- Competing with a 73.83 stroke average
-- First NCAA Regional appearance
THE FIELD (IN ORDER BY SEEDING)
1. #5 Texas Tech
2.#9 Oklahoma
3. #17 Alabama
4. #20 Ole Miss
5. #29 Wake Forest
6. #32 Duke
7. #41 LSU
8. #44 North Florida
9. #52 Colorado
10. #56 Kansas
11. #77 UNCW
12. #133 Louisiana
13. #183 Princeton
14. #270 Arkansas – Pine Bluff
THE COURSE
Bishop Creek, a major artery running through the middle of the Jimmie Austin Golf Club, and the South Canadian River have helped form the terrain for hundreds of years. With its rolling hills, native grasses and majestic Bur Oaks, it is a peaceful beauty not expected from being on the campus of a major university and in the center of Norman. However beautiful and serene it feels; the course can play difficult with its new 77.9-course rating (Championship/Team tees). With five sets of tees, family tees, and even some combo tee options, there is an appropriate length so anyone and everyone will enjoy playing it.
In recognition of this excellence, the course has played host to the 1997 Oklahoma State Amateur and NCAA Regional, the Big 12 Women's Championship in 1998 and 2010, and most notably the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in 2009. The course hosted the 2013 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship and NCAA Regional Championships in 2012, 2018, 2022 (men's) and 2013, 2019 (women's) and is already scheduled to host more NCAA Regional Championships in 2023, and 2025.
THOUGHTS FROM COACH MALLOY
"I know that our guys are eager to get back out and compete this week. We've had a longer layoff than we are used to after our SEC Championship. However, that has given us a chance to rest up and be ready for a run here in the NCAA tournament. Although it's a different grass surface than we are used to, this golf course should be good for this group. We just need to stay patient and take what the golf course gives us."
REBELS TRAVEL BACK TO NORMAN
This is the second straight season Ole Miss has been selected to compete at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club in the Norman Regional. During last year's competition, Ole Miss punched its ticket to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2017 following a third place finish with an 849 (-15) overall score. Former Rebel, Jackson Suber, did something that no Rebel had done before by capturing an individual regional championship. This year's group looks to meet the same expectation and move on to Scottsdale, Arizona for the second year in a row.
IT JUST MEANS MORE GOLF TO PLAY
At the 2023 SEC Championship, Ole Miss capitalized on the final day of stroke play at the SEC Championship to make the cut to match play for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The Rebels shot scores of 275-286-278—839 (-1) to earn a 6th place finish in stroke play.
Coming into the final round in 9th place, the Rebels' backs were against the wall to make the top-8 cut toward match play. Ole Miss responded with three Rebels shooting par or better rounds for the day, including a big three-under back-nine push to move Ole Miss up three spots on the leaderboard. The Rebels went on to face No. 3 seed Florida in match play, falling 4-1.
FOLLOW THE REBELS
For updates throughout the tournament, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMGolf. Additional updates and information on the team can be found on Instagram at OleMissMGolf, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men's Golf and on OleMissSports.com.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
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Chris Malloy - NCAA Championships Round Three Presser
Sunday, May 25