Mizzou golf advances to the NCAA finals (photo/Mizzou athletics)
With its third-place finish at the NCAA Columbia Regional Saturday, Mizzou Golf advances to the NCAA National Championships for the first time since 2005. The Tigers shot 27-under par overall and senior Emilio Cuartero won the Columbia Regional individual title after shooting a 7-under par 65, during Saturday’s final round at Old Hawthorne.
Mizzou was one of five teams at the Columbia Regional to qualify for the NCAA finals in Hutchinson, Kan., May 23-28. After struggling at the start of the day, No. 2 Oklahoma State (-33) caught fire on the back nine to take home the regional title. No. 24 Arkansas (-28) edged out Missouri on the final few holes to finish in second. No. 14 LSU (-15) and Iowa State (-15) tied for fourth to advance.
Cuartero (-11) is the first regional champion for the Tigers since Jace Long won in 2011 at Ocala, Calif. The senior shot his best round of golf Saturday to earn his second victory of the season; the finish also marks his fourth top five finish this year.
NCAA Championship play runs from May 23-28, at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan. Thirty teams qualified out of regionals to participate in a 54-hole stroke play event. At the conclusion of stroke play, the top eight teams will be seeded and compete in match play to determine the National Champion.
