WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Three players shot 70 or better and Purdue posted the day's best round to surge into second at the NCAA West Lafayette Regional held at the Kampen-Cosler Course.
Purdue totaled an 11-under par 277 to jump No. 11-ranked Arizona and move into second place just one shot behind No. 2-ranked Vanderbilt, who held a six-shot lead heading into today's action. The Commodores are at 16-under par 560, while the Boilermakers are at 15-under par 561.
Arizona is third at 9-under par 567 (283-284), while New Mexico and Florida round out the top five respectively at 3- and 2-under par.
Mississippi State (+2), Indiana (+3) and Colorado State (+8) are all within shouting distance of fifth place.
The top-five finishing teams will advance to the NCAA National Championships on May 24-29, held at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California.
Purdue is looking for its 30th National Championship appearance in school history and its first since 2017. The Boilermakers made the National Championships three times previously under Rob Bradley in 2014, 2016 and 2017.
"We played a lot of really good golf and got off to a really good start. Everybody birdied the fourth hole and that really got us going and we were just solid all day," said head coach Rob Bradley. "We just need to keep sticking to our game plan and see what we can do tomorrow. We are going to have the same plan and see what happens. Vanderbilt and Arizona are great teams with great coaches, so it's exciting to be in this position."
The Boilermakers' 277 ties the lowest round ever shot at Kampen-Cosler in NCAA action (2008 National Championships, 2017 Regionals, 2024 Regionals), tying the round shot by Vanderbilt yesterday. The teams used near-perfect scoring conditions to post an average of 73.28 per round, a full shot-and-a-half better per player than Monday's first round (74.84).
In addition, Purdue's 277 was the third-best round in NCAA competition in school history and the best score in relation to par in NCAA competition.
Leading the Boilermaker surge was junior Kent Hsiao, who took charge of the individual medalist race, with a 7-under par 65 and a two-day total of 8-under par 136 (71-65) to lead by three shots. He recorded eight birdies on the day with the only misstep coming on his final hole with a bogey on the difficult 18th.
His 65 was a career-best round and tied the best score by a Purdue player in NCAA competition.
Hsiao's lead will be three shots over three players entering Wednesday's final round.
"Kent obviously had a great round today. He stayed in control and really was able to play his game all round," added Bradley. "He's been playing so well lately and just did everything you need to do to be successful on this course."
Nels Surtani also had a strong round for the Boilermakers, moving into a fifth-place tie with a 3-under par 69 and a two-day total of 4-under par 140 (71-69). Surtani was 3-under par through eight holes, then was one of just seven players to birdie No. 18, for his seventh round in the 60s this season.
Herman Sekne also sits in the top 10 of the individual medalist race, shooting a 2-under par 70 for a 36-hole tally of 3-under par 141 (71-70). Sekne was 4-under par through eight holes, but suffered back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16 to fall back out of the top five. However, Sekne posted his 18th round of par or better this season, good for fifth on the single-season list, coming in just 28 rounds this year.
Peyton Snoeberger is tied for tied for 23rd at even-par 144 (71-73), while freshman Sam Easterbrook is tied for 44th at 4-over par 148 (72-76).
Purdue will be paired with Vanderbilt and Arizona in Wednesday's final round, beginning play off hole No. 1, at 8 a.m. ET.
Purdue totaled an 11-under par 277 to jump No. 11-ranked Arizona and move into second place just one shot behind No. 2-ranked Vanderbilt, who held a six-shot lead heading into today's action. The Commodores are at 16-under par 560, while the Boilermakers are at 15-under par 561.
Arizona is third at 9-under par 567 (283-284), while New Mexico and Florida round out the top five respectively at 3- and 2-under par.
Mississippi State (+2), Indiana (+3) and Colorado State (+8) are all within shouting distance of fifth place.
The top-five finishing teams will advance to the NCAA National Championships on May 24-29, held at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California.
Purdue is looking for its 30th National Championship appearance in school history and its first since 2017. The Boilermakers made the National Championships three times previously under Rob Bradley in 2014, 2016 and 2017.
"We played a lot of really good golf and got off to a really good start. Everybody birdied the fourth hole and that really got us going and we were just solid all day," said head coach Rob Bradley. "We just need to keep sticking to our game plan and see what we can do tomorrow. We are going to have the same plan and see what happens. Vanderbilt and Arizona are great teams with great coaches, so it's exciting to be in this position."
The Boilermakers' 277 ties the lowest round ever shot at Kampen-Cosler in NCAA action (2008 National Championships, 2017 Regionals, 2024 Regionals), tying the round shot by Vanderbilt yesterday. The teams used near-perfect scoring conditions to post an average of 73.28 per round, a full shot-and-a-half better per player than Monday's first round (74.84).
In addition, Purdue's 277 was the third-best round in NCAA competition in school history and the best score in relation to par in NCAA competition.
Leading the Boilermaker surge was junior Kent Hsiao, who took charge of the individual medalist race, with a 7-under par 65 and a two-day total of 8-under par 136 (71-65) to lead by three shots. He recorded eight birdies on the day with the only misstep coming on his final hole with a bogey on the difficult 18th.
His 65 was a career-best round and tied the best score by a Purdue player in NCAA competition.
Hsiao's lead will be three shots over three players entering Wednesday's final round.
"Kent obviously had a great round today. He stayed in control and really was able to play his game all round," added Bradley. "He's been playing so well lately and just did everything you need to do to be successful on this course."
Nels Surtani also had a strong round for the Boilermakers, moving into a fifth-place tie with a 3-under par 69 and a two-day total of 4-under par 140 (71-69). Surtani was 3-under par through eight holes, then was one of just seven players to birdie No. 18, for his seventh round in the 60s this season.
Herman Sekne also sits in the top 10 of the individual medalist race, shooting a 2-under par 70 for a 36-hole tally of 3-under par 141 (71-70). Sekne was 4-under par through eight holes, but suffered back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16 to fall back out of the top five. However, Sekne posted his 18th round of par or better this season, good for fifth on the single-season list, coming in just 28 rounds this year.
Peyton Snoeberger is tied for tied for 23rd at even-par 144 (71-73), while freshman Sam Easterbrook is tied for 44th at 4-over par 148 (72-76).
Purdue will be paired with Vanderbilt and Arizona in Wednesday's final round, beginning play off hole No. 1, at 8 a.m. ET.