TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Irish men’s golf closed out their team season Wednesday afternoon behind a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Tallahassee Regional, closing out the year with a final score of 871(+7). Sophomore Jacob Modleski was the highest finishing individual with a score of 207(-9) and will advance to the NCAA Championships in Carlsbad, California next week.
“I’m proud of this young team,” Director of Golf and Head Coach John Handrigan said following the conclusion of the regional tournament. “We started the week strong and came into the last day with a great chance to advance. While we didn’t play to our capabilities, it was a great learning moment for the team as we move forward. We’ll be hungrier than ever when we start again as a team in August.”
Modleski’s score of 67(-5) through the first round of the tournament led the way for the Irish as the team boasted an overall score of 281(-7) in the opening 18 holes. In addition to the team’s second place hold on the first day, Modleski ranked second individually, one stroke behind nationally ranked No. 5 Luke Clanton of FSU with a 66(-6). He finished under par through each of the three rounds, including a 71(-1) score on Tuesday and concluding with a score of 69(-3) Wednesday for the fourth-place finish and an overall tally of 207(-9). For Modleski, it was his 10th overall score under par this season, and he advances to the NCAA Championships as an individual, marking his second trip to the championship week in as many years after the team advanced a season ago.
Fellow sophomore Rocco Salvitti finished second for the Irish in Tallahassee, as he opened the tournament with an even-par score of 72 before finishing a plus-five overall at 221 behind 75(+3) and 74(+2) scores in the latter rounds. Salvitti finished his season in a tie for 39th at the regional site.
Nate Stevens, Christopher Bagnall and Mike Qiu all placed just four strokes apart and rounded out the competition for the Irish in Florida. Stevens’ 224(+8) was good for 50th overall after registering scores of 74(+2), 73(+1) and 77(+5), respectively.
Bagnall finished with a stroke count of 226(+10) and 54th overall. His minus-one score in round one was his best of the tournament, carrying the 71(-1) score into the second day where he registered a score of 76(+4) before posting a 79(+7) score on the final day.
Qiu closed out the competition for the Irish with a 57th-place finish. The freshman posted a score of 71(-1) in Monday’s first round before registering a score of 82(+10) on day two. Qiu wrapped up the tournament with a round three score of 75(+3) to post an overall score of 228(+12).
While the team’s season has concluded with a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Tallahassee Regional, Modleski will advance to the NCAA Championships as an individual after finishing the three-day tournament as the highest individual on a non-advancing team. The NCAA Championships get underway on May 23 at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.
“Jacob continues to impress me with his competitiveness and ability to perform at a high level in the most pressure packed situations,” Handrigan said on Modleski’s berth in the NCAA Championships. “The quality of shots he hit and poise he had coming down the stretch was simply off the charts. While Jacob and I both want to be competing for a National Championship next week as a team, I’m excited that he has the chance to earn one as an individual.”