North Carolina State University Athletics
Choi to Compete at 2012 NCAA Men's Golf Championship
5/28/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
May 28, 2012
Live Scoring | Event Information
NC State sophomore Albin Choi is in rare company this week as he prepares for the 2012 NCAA Men's Golf Championship at famed Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Choi qualified as one of just six individuals in the field by virtue of dominating last week's Ann Arbor Regional in bringing home a three-shot victory, finishing at 10-under par 203. As a team, the Wolfpack missed by one spot, finishing tied for sixth. The low five team scores at each of the six NCAA Regionals make up the 30-team field at Riviera.
The low individual at each regional not on a qualifying club also earned an invitation.
Choi will have a practice round on Monday beginning from hole No. 10 at 8 a.m., with Jonathan De Los Reyes (St. Mary's) and Philip Chian (Long Beach State).
The same group of three will begin in earnest with Tuesday's first round at 9 a.m., beginning on the back side.
It's sort of ironic that Choi will begin on No. 10 in the finals, considering he played all three rounds starting from the back in Ann Arbor. The par-4 10th at Riviera is also a unique layout that measures only 315 yards, so Choi and his two mates will have a choice to make right at the start of their rounds - to hit driver or play safe and layup with an iron.
Here is a little more on Riviera's short, but strategic hole - click.
Remember that Choi drove the par-4 6th during the second round in Michigan and made a 10-foot eagle putt that propelled him to back-to-back eagles. He then followed with birdie at the par-3 8th to give him a run of 2 2 2 on his scorecard, something you just never see.
Playing 5-under over that three-hole stretch put him in the driver seat to where he sits now in the 54-hole finals of the NCAA Championship.
Choi is the first Wolfpack golfer to qualify as an individual since Matt Hill won the national championship in 2009 at The Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.
This also marks the second-straight trip to the championship for Choi as he was a member of the State team that played in the 2011 edition at Karsten Creek Golf Course in Stillwater, Okla. The Toronto, Ontario, native finished tied for 88th at 13-over 229.
