Congrats to Men's Golf of @SJSUAthletics on earning a spot in the Austin Regional! #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/EKrqYzoByb
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) May 2, 2019
Indianapolis, Ind.----- For the first time since the 2012 season, San Jose State University will be competing in NCAA men's golf post-season action as one of 14 teams participating in the Austin, Texas Regional, May 13-15.
The Spartans had a solid season as the #54-ranked team in the May 1st GolfStat national rankings. San Jose State has five top-five team finishes in 11 tournaments. The highlight of the year was placing third at the 73rd annual Western Intercollegiate presented by Topgolf at the Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz. At the Western, televised by the GOLF Channel, San Jose State finished ahead of six top-50 ranked programs including #6-USC.
Senior Kevin Velo and junior Sean Yu are the team's top-two players this season. Velo has a 71.40 stroke average, 22 of his 32 rounds at level or under par, and five top-20 individual finishes. His best this season was a second-place, three-under par 213 at the Bandon Dunes Championship in Bandon, Ore.
"It (the selection) means a lot. We're all here working for the same thing. To see it come together after four years is pretty incredible. For team, I don't think people understand what we went through. We're a pretty young team," said Velo, the team's only senior. "This is where we came from, with the (golf practice) facility and everything like that. It's really changed us. It shows what we've put in and what donors have given us to be at the facility has helped us so much."
Yu is close behind at 71.84 strokes per round. He has 16 rounds of par or lower and four top-10 finishes. His best was a second-place finish at the 73rd Western Intercollegiate with an eight-under par 202 total after 54 holes before losing a five-hole, sudden death playoff for medalist honors.
"We've been working so hard to get to this point. It feels so good seeing our hard work pay off. Going to the regionals, we should be just as excited as going to any tournament," said Yu.
The top five teams and the top two leading individuals from teams not affiliated with the leaders from the Austin Regional will advance to the NCAA Championships, May 24-29, at The Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Ark.
"I think it's going to be a matter of playing one shot at a time and not focusing on what the other teams are doing," Yu said about qualifying for the NCAA Championships.
"I've played in it, coached in it before. I've been responsible for it from an administration standpoint and the NCAA Committee. Now I am back to coaching in it. It does give you a broader spectrum in which to look at things. Hopefully, it will give me a more grounded place to coach from," said San Jose State men's golf head coach John Kennaday.
A total of 81 teams and 35 individuals not affiliated with a team were invited to compete in NCAA Men's Golf Regional Championship action. The NCAA Championships will consist of 30 teams and six individuals for a total field of 156 players.