CARLSBAD, Calif. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish concluded their impressive 2023-24 season in the NCAA DI Men’s Golf Championships held at the Omni La Costa North Course and it was capped off by a historic top-ten finish from graduate student Palmer Jackson.
While team play wrapped up on Sunday, May 26, Jackson finished his illustrious Notre Dame career with a record-breaking individual performance on Monday, May 27. In the modern era, Jackson’s eighth place finish is the highest for any Irish golfer at the NCAA Championship in Notre Dame history.
He qualified for the final round individually as the top nine individuals not on an advancing team advance for one additional day of stroke play to determine the individual champion.
Tied for first with three holes left, back-to-back bogeys from Jackson on the seventh and eighth moved him to T8 as he finished hole nine with par.
“What a way for Palmer Jackson to put an exclamation point on his elite career at Notre Dame,” said Head Coach and Director of Golf John Handrigan. “He’s helped set a new bar for what excellence means within our program and I couldn’t be more proud. He did everything right today and gave himself a chance to win, which is all you can ask for in this game. His mindset this week was world-class and it showed in his play. He’s forever left his mark on this program and University.”
After three rounds of stroke play, Notre Dame collectively was shy of making the cut to finals with a team score of 907 (+43).
In stroke play, Palmer Jackson led the way with a T16 finish, shooting a 217 (+1). Despite starting the Championship with a 77 (+5), Jackson was playing great golf in rounds two and three as he shot a 68 (-4) and an even 72 to put him in a position to qualify for the final round.
Jacob Modleksi finished with a score of 227 (+11), shooting a 72 (E), 78 (+6), and 77 (+5). He was followed by Rocco Salvitti, who shot a 231 (+15), and Angelo Marcon and Nate Stevens, who each shot a 237 (+21).
After qualifying as a team by placing third in the NCAA Austin Regional, the Irish had a historic season as they advanced to the NCAA Championship for the first time since the regional format was adopted in 1989. The Irish last competed in the NCAA Championship in 1966.