WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – For the first time in seven years, the Purdue men's golf team has punched its ticket to the National Championships, finishing second at the NCAA West Lafayette Region at the Kampen-Cosler Course.
The Boilermakers tallied a 54-hole total of 11-under par 853 (284-277-292) to finish 13 shots behind No. 2-ranked Vanderbilt (277-283-280=840) and 19 shots clear of the cut-line of 8-over par (San Diego State). Purdue will be joined by other top-five seeds Vanderbilt (1 seed), Arizona (2 seed), Florida (3 seed) and New Mexico (4 seed).
It marks Purdue's fourth National Championships appearance under Rob Bradley (2014, 2016, 2017, 2024) and 30th in school history. Purdue will be joined by Big Ten teams Illinois and Ohio State in Carlsbad, California.
Additionally, Purdue is one of four schools nationally (Auburn, Clemson, Texas, Purdue) to finish either champion or runner-up in both men's and women's NCAA Regionals. The women's team finished second last week in Las Vegas.
"I have felt all year long that we've had a really solid team with a few older guys that have played really good golf this year. It was great to see them play well on our home course and put us in a position to win Regionals," head coach Rob Bradley said. "It would have been nice to play better today and give us a chance late, but all-in-all, the job is to get to Nationals and we were able to accomplish that.
The Boilermakers started the day one shot behind Vanderbilt, but fell off the pace of Commodores late in the front nine. Purdue trailed by just five shots at the turn, but couldn't keep pace with Vanderbilt and settled into second place.
Purdue's runner-up finish is its best placing at Regionals since winning the 2002 Regional in Little Rock, Arkansas.
"Our guys have been talking about playing at home for Regionals for a couple of years now, so there was some pressure, but we really rose to it this week," Bradley added. "There were some tough scenarios out there for us today, but we handled it for the most part."
Herman Sekne continued his assault on the Purdue record book, placing tied for fifth at 5-under par 211 (71-70-70). It marked his sixth top-five finish of the season in just 10 events and his eighth top-20 showing. He now has 19 career top-10 finishes, good for the third most in program history and one shy of Lee Williamson's and Lenny Hartlage's 20, top-10 showings. Sekne's 19 top-10 placings have come in 37 career events, while Williamson (52) and Hartlage (43) both played over 40 career events.
Sekne is now averaging 70.28 strokes per round on the season entering the National Championships.
"Obviously, Herman has had an incredible career. He struggled for him this Spring with his game, so for him to get his game into shape and contend for a title against an incredible field like this is a great sign moving forward," Bradley said. "I think he's going to be a force at the National Championships."
Nels Surtani recorded his third top-10 of the season with a 3-under par 213 (71-69-73), good for a 10th-place tie. Surtani was 1-under par through 13 holes, but suffered bogeys on 14 and 16 to fall out of the hunt for medalist honors. However, his finish marked his fifth career top-10 finish and he has 15 rounds of even-par or better entering next week's National Championships.
Kent Hsiao struggled in the third round, but his outstanding play over the first two days gave him a top-20 finish at 1-under par 215 (71-65-79), good for an 18th-place tie. It was his fifth top-20 placing of the year.
Peyton Snoeberger finished tied for 35th at 3-over par 219 (71-73-75), while freshman Sam Easterbrook was tied for 44th at 6-over par 222 (72-76-74).
The National Championships will be held May 24 to 29 at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California.
The Boilermakers tallied a 54-hole total of 11-under par 853 (284-277-292) to finish 13 shots behind No. 2-ranked Vanderbilt (277-283-280=840) and 19 shots clear of the cut-line of 8-over par (San Diego State). Purdue will be joined by other top-five seeds Vanderbilt (1 seed), Arizona (2 seed), Florida (3 seed) and New Mexico (4 seed).
It marks Purdue's fourth National Championships appearance under Rob Bradley (2014, 2016, 2017, 2024) and 30th in school history. Purdue will be joined by Big Ten teams Illinois and Ohio State in Carlsbad, California.
Additionally, Purdue is one of four schools nationally (Auburn, Clemson, Texas, Purdue) to finish either champion or runner-up in both men's and women's NCAA Regionals. The women's team finished second last week in Las Vegas.
"I have felt all year long that we've had a really solid team with a few older guys that have played really good golf this year. It was great to see them play well on our home course and put us in a position to win Regionals," head coach Rob Bradley said. "It would have been nice to play better today and give us a chance late, but all-in-all, the job is to get to Nationals and we were able to accomplish that.
The Boilermakers started the day one shot behind Vanderbilt, but fell off the pace of Commodores late in the front nine. Purdue trailed by just five shots at the turn, but couldn't keep pace with Vanderbilt and settled into second place.
Purdue's runner-up finish is its best placing at Regionals since winning the 2002 Regional in Little Rock, Arkansas.
"Our guys have been talking about playing at home for Regionals for a couple of years now, so there was some pressure, but we really rose to it this week," Bradley added. "There were some tough scenarios out there for us today, but we handled it for the most part."
Herman Sekne continued his assault on the Purdue record book, placing tied for fifth at 5-under par 211 (71-70-70). It marked his sixth top-five finish of the season in just 10 events and his eighth top-20 showing. He now has 19 career top-10 finishes, good for the third most in program history and one shy of Lee Williamson's and Lenny Hartlage's 20, top-10 showings. Sekne's 19 top-10 placings have come in 37 career events, while Williamson (52) and Hartlage (43) both played over 40 career events.
Sekne is now averaging 70.28 strokes per round on the season entering the National Championships.
"Obviously, Herman has had an incredible career. He struggled for him this Spring with his game, so for him to get his game into shape and contend for a title against an incredible field like this is a great sign moving forward," Bradley said. "I think he's going to be a force at the National Championships."
Nels Surtani recorded his third top-10 of the season with a 3-under par 213 (71-69-73), good for a 10th-place tie. Surtani was 1-under par through 13 holes, but suffered bogeys on 14 and 16 to fall out of the hunt for medalist honors. However, his finish marked his fifth career top-10 finish and he has 15 rounds of even-par or better entering next week's National Championships.
Kent Hsiao struggled in the third round, but his outstanding play over the first two days gave him a top-20 finish at 1-under par 215 (71-65-79), good for an 18th-place tie. It was his fifth top-20 placing of the year.
Peyton Snoeberger finished tied for 35th at 3-over par 219 (71-73-75), while freshman Sam Easterbrook was tied for 44th at 6-over par 222 (72-76-74).
The National Championships will be held May 24 to 29 at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California.