MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (UNLVRebels.com) - For the 23rd time in program history and for the third straight year the UNLV men's golf team has advanced to the NCAA Championship finals.
The Rebels shot a final-round 4-under-par 284 to finish in fifth place Wednesday at the 2019 NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional, which was played at TPC of Myrtle Beach (par 72, 6,950 yards).
The top five teams and low individual not on those teams have now advanced to the national finals to be played May 24-29 at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Arkansas. A total of 30 teams will contend for the national championship.
No. 23 Illinois captured the Myrtle Beach Regional's team title at 25-under 839 after a final-round-low 16-under 272. Ohio State finished second at 20-under, followed by No. 3 Wake Forest at 15-under and No. 10 California in fourth at 14-under. UNLV's 54-hole total was 8-under 856. Florida State (-7), Oregon (-1), Northwestern (E) and No. 15 Texas Tech (+1) finished in spots 6-9, all failing to move on.
Individually, Illinois' Michael Feagles earned medalist honors at 15-under, while runner-up Edwin Yi of Oregon (-14) will move on as the individual to the NCAA finals. The Rebels were led by junior Justin Kim, who placed eighth at 7-under.
STAT OF THE DAY: Only nine shots separated spots 5-9 in the standings, with UNLV claiming the No. 5 spot to move on to the NCAA finals.
REBEL OF THE DAY: Kim turned in UNLV's best individual round on the final day with a 4-under 68. He had a total of five birdies with a bogey.
COMPLETE REBEL SCORES:
• 8th – Justin Kim, junior (73-68-68=209, -7)
• T14th – Harry Hall, senior (71-71-72=214, -2)
• T31st – David Rauch, freshman (71-75-72=218, +2)
• T43rd – Jack Trent, sophomore (79-70-72=221, +5)
• T60th – J.J. Gresco, sophomore (73-78-75=226, +10)
TOP FIVE TEAMS:
1. Illinois (279-288-272=839, -25)
2. Ohio State (284-281-279=844, -20)
3. Wake Forest (286-281-282=849, -15)
4. California (288-286-276=850, -14)
5. UNLV (288-284-284=856, -8)
There were a total of 14 teams and 75 individuals competing.
REBEL NOTES:
• This year marked UNLV's 31st straight appearance in a NCAA Regional, which is the national record for most consecutive appearances.
• UNLV placed in the top 20 last year at the NCAA finals.
• UNLV finished fourth at this year's Mountain West Championship, which snapped its string of three straight conference titles.
• Senior Harry Hall was named the MW's Golfer of the Year earlier this month, while Hall, sophomore Jack Trent and freshman David Rauch were all named All-MW.
• This season marks the 32nd at UNLV for Hall of Fame head coach Dwaine Knight.
