Baton Rouge, La. – The first round of the NCAA Baton Rouge Men's Golf Regional came to a close Thursday with Wichita State well within striking distance of qualifying for the NCAA Championship. The Shockers reside in ninth place but are only four strokes back of fourth. The top five teams from the regional advance.
Hunter Sparks led the charge for WSU. The senior carded an even-par at the 7,436-yard, par-72 University Club of Baton Rouge. That mark tied him for sixth place and just two strokes behind the leaders. Three players ended at 2-under for the top spots.
No. 13 Florida leads the team race at 2-under. They were the only school to score under par. No. 2 Alabama and South Alabama tied for second at 8-over. No. 26 Houston (+12), No. 33 Tennessee (+12), No. 49 Coastal Carolina (+14), No. 37 Northwestern (+15), No. 17 LSU (+15), and the No. 66 Shockers (+16) are all within four strokes from third to ninth place.
Individually for WSU, both Louis Cohen Boyer and Rafael Becker slipped inside the top 20. Boyer knotted for 13th place with a 2-over 74. Becker tied for 19th at 3-over 75. Chandler Rusk (+11) and Calvin Pearson (+12) rounded out the WSU competitors.
The second round of 18 holes begins Friday morning with WSU teeing off on hole No. 10 at 8 a.m. The final round is scheduled for Saturday morning.
