Lyerly Highlights UNCG Men’s Golf Ninth Place Finish at NCAA Regional
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Graduate student Nick Lyerly tied his career-low with an eight-under-par (64) to surge into the top-ten as the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men’s golf team finished the Las Vegas Regional of the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship in ninth place after Wednesday’s final round. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority hosted the regional at Bear’s Best Las Vegas.
This was the best finish as a team since the 2013-14 Spartan squad posted a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Auburn Regional.
Lyerly posted a 64 for the second time this spring to surge 22 spots up the leaderboard into a tie for ninth place. The graduate student also carded a 64 at the Advance Golf Partners Collegiate during second round play on February 13. Lyerly’s ninth-place finish at the NCAA Regional is the best finish for the graduate student in his four times at this level of competition.
With a total of nine birdies in his final round, Lyerly posted the second-lowest final round score in the field. Lyerly started his round on a tear with birdies on four of his first six holes, all coming on par four holes. The graduate student’s streak included a birdie on the par four, 413-yard opening hole which proved to be the fourth-hardest hole in the tournament. Lyerly’s final birdie came on the par five, 599-yard eighth hole for his fifth birdie on the front nine. With an unblemished back nine scorecard, Lyerly carded four more birdies including three-in-a-row beginning at the par four, 340-yard 11th hole. After his second par five birdie on the 12th hole, Lyerly capped the streak on the par three, 151-yard 13th hole. The graduate student posted his final birdie of the day, sixth on a par four hole, on the 416-yard 16th hole. The effort earned Lyerly a share of ninth place with a 54-hole total of 13-under-par (203).
Symon Balbin posted a top-15 finish after a final round one-under-par (71). The senior carded four birdies on his round beginning with back-to-back par four birdies on the 438-yard fifth hole and the 398-yard sixth. On the back nine, Balbin birdied both par five holes, the 12th and 17th. Balbin finished in a tie for 14th place with a 54-hole total of 11-under-par (205). Balbin claimed a top-15 spot after shooting four-under-par (68) in the first round and six-under-par (66) after the second.
The Spartans finished the regional in ninth place out of the 14-team field at 28-under-par (836) after a final round seven-under-par (281). UNCG finished one shot behind Cincinnati in eighth place and seven shots behind Oklahoma State in seventh.
INSIDE THE SCORECARD
Lyerly’s nine birdies tied for the most birdies in the final round.
UNCG’s eight-over-par effort on par three holes stood as the fourth-best effort in the tournament.
At 35-under-par, the Spartans held the fifth-best score on par five holes.
UNCG finished the tournament with the second-most eagles (seven).
Lyerly’s one-under-par effort on par three holes tied for the third-best effort on par threes.
Balbin’s 13-under-par for the tournament on par five holes was the second-lowest score on par fives in the field.
His four eagles in three rounds stood in a tie for second place.
Randall Hudson’s 35 pars stood in a tie for ninth place and two behind the leaders.
SEASON WRAP-UP
UNCG concluded the 2022-23 season where the Spartans claimed two tournament wins. The Spartans won the Grandover Invitational in late October at home and the Wake Forest Invitational at historic Pinehurst No. 2 in early March. UNCG also claimed second place at Cincinnati’s Bearcat Invitational in September and UNCG’s Advance Golf Partners Collegiate at Hammock Creek Golf Course in Palm City, Florida to open the spring season in February. The NCAA regional appearance marks the fourth as a team in program history and the seventh regional where at least one Spartan golfer has competed.
Courtesy of Denise Archetto
Assistant Athletic Director For Strategic Communications
UNC Greensboro