North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Men's Golf Place Fifth at NCAA Central Regional
5/18/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
May 18, 2002
Little Rock, AR- NC State's Men's Golf team advanced to the NCAA Championships for the 27th time today after a final round 300 moved the Wolfpack up to fifth after starting the day in eighth place in the 27 team field. NC State fired a 16-over-par 880 and was 15 strokes off the lead. The fifth place team standing was the fourth best finish in school history since the NCAA Regional format was adopted in 1989. NC State won the 1996 East Regional, placed second last year at the East Regional, and recorded a third place finish in 1995 at the East Regional in New Haven, CT.
Juniors Jason Moon and Justin Walters lead the Wolfpack as both fired 218s to capture a share of 17th place. Moon, competing in his second NCAA Regional, fired a 218 (72-72-74, +2) for his sixth top-20 finish of the year. His two rounds at even-par slid his season total to six, a team high. Walters (71-74-73, +2), an All-ACC selection in his first season with the Wolfpack, is second on the team with seven top-20 finishes and also fired his 15th round-under-par with an opening round 71.
Senior All-ACC selection Garth Mulroy fired his team-leading 17th round-under-par with a second round 71 and closed with a three-day-total of 222 (77-71-74, +6). Mulroy started the final round tied for 51st but closed strong to capture a share of 37th.
Fernando Mechereffe was tied for 32nd after a 74 and 72 in the first two rounds. A final round 79 dropped Mechereffe to a share of 55th with a 225 (74-72-79, +9). The sophomore from Brazil shot his fifth round-at-even-par with his second round 72, and trails only Moon in that category.
Freshman Rodney Thomas competed in his first NCAA Regional and showed flashes of his talent with a second round one-under-par 71. Thomas finished tied 108th with a three-day-total of 234 (79-71-84, +18). Thomas finished tied for sixth in late April at the ACC Championships after posting a 209 (70-71-68, -7).
Sixth-ranked Oklahoma State and #22 Purdue shared the Central Regional title finishing at +1 with a three-day 865. Lee Williamson shot a 209 (-7) to capture individual honors. The top-ten teams from the three NCAA Regionals advance to the NCAA Championships. The 2002 NCAA Men's Golf Championship is being held at the Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio from May 29th to June 1st.
