CARLSBAD, Calif. – The Purdue men’s golf team saved its best for last, posting its highest finish at the NCAA Championships since 2004, finishing 23rd after 54 holes at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa.
The Boilermakers totaled a 54-hole tally of 16-over par 880 (296-295-289) to place 23rd out of 30 teams, Purdue’s highest finish since placing 15th at the 2004 NCAA Championships. The Boilermakers entered the week as the No. 27 seed, surpassing its pre-tournament seed.
Purdue’s 880 is also the lowest tournament score at the NCAA Championships since that 2004 season. Purdue missed the 54-hole cut by 14 shots, but finished higher than national powers Ole Miss (#9), Texas A&M (#20), Florida State (#26), USC (#28) and Louisville (#33).
“I’m so proud of the guys. It was a great end to the season, by making the NCAA Championships, then playing their best round of the tournament today. Finishing 23rd with a young team says a lot about this team and this program,” said head coach Andrew Sapp. “I’m really looking forward to the future with these guys and think our best golf is ahead of us.”
The Boilermakers finished the year with a stroke average of 284.79, a new school record by almost two strokes.
Leading the way in round three was junior Sam Easterbrook, with a 4-under par 68. The junior from Tomworth, England, finished his three rounds in 3-under par 213 (72-73-68), advancing to Monday’s fourth and final round with a chance to earn All-America accolades. Easterbrook finished the day with the fourth-lowest round of the day and tied for the second-best round in NCAA Championships by a Boilermaker in school history.
He recorded five birdies, one bogey and 12 pars, making par on his last eight holes of the day, three of which were three of the five hardest holes on the course during the tournament (12, 13 and 14).
He now becomes the second Boilermaker in as many years, and third in six years, to reach the fourth round, after Supapon Amornchaichan finished T-9th a year ago.
A finish in the top-15 would give Easterbrook All-America honors. The Boilermakers have had an All-American in three straight years (Herman Sekne – 2023, 2024; Supapon Amornchaichan – 2025).
Easterbrook also set a school record on Sunday with his 25th round of even-par or better, surpassing the record of Lee Williamson (24 – 2002). Easterbrook has scored in the 60s in five of his last eight rounds, including in three rounds during NCAA competition this season.
He also set a school record for birdies in a season with 145, surpassing the record he set last year (140).
“What a round by Sam today in the afternoon in pressure-packed condititions,” added Sapp. “He needed to have a good round to advance, and he did that. Really proud of his performance this week.”
Jenson Forrester also capped off his season in impressive fashion, finishing tied for 55th at 1-over par 217 (72-71-74). Forrester was in the running for a spot in the fourth round, but a double-bogey on hole 8 hurt his chances. However, Forrester posted his highest finish in three tries at the NCAA Championships.
Kentaro Nanayama finished his career with a 117th-place finish at 9-over par 225 (76-76-73), playing his best round of the tournament on Sunday. Nanayama had a rough start with bogeys on his first three holes, but climbed to 1-under par through 11 holes. He then suffered a bogey-bogey-double bogey stretch to move back to 3-over par.
Nanayama ended his career with birdies on his final two holes for a 1-over par 73.
“Really proud of the finish Kentaro had today. He could have folded after his first three holes, then again after hole 14, but he battled all round,” said Sapp. “He wanted to go out on a high note and he did. We’re glad he came back for his fifth year and we are going to miss him next season. He has a bright future ahead of him.”
Supapon Amornchaichan finished tied for 133rd at 11-over par 227 (76-75-76) and Will Harvey placed tied for 138th at 12-over par 228 (76-78-74). Harvey finished the year with a 72.34 stroke average, the lowest for a Purdue freshman in school history by over half-a-stroke.
Easterbrook will tee off round four on Monday, starting at 3:42 p.m. ET, off hole 10.