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May 16, 2015
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Penn State men's golf team wrapped up the 2014-15 season with an 11th-place finish at the NCAA Regional Championships at the Finley Golf Course on the campus of North Carolina. The Nittany Lions carded a 289, their lowest score of the tournament, led by a 69 (-3) from seniors Jens Talbert (Little Rock, Ark.) and Xander McDonald-Smith (Rockaway Park, N.Y.).
Talbert finished the championships in the No. 23 position, moving up 25 spots since day one off the strength of four birdies, while McDonald-Smith was 41st after recording his best round by six strokes.
"We finished the year playing another round like we did all year, playing right through the wire," Greg Nye, Penn State head coach said. "These guys just never stop fighting. Three great scores out of Cole [Miller], Jens [Talbert] and Xander [McDonald-Smith] helped us post our low round of the week."
Freshman Cole Miller (New Tripoli, Pa.) finished even on par for the second-consecutive day and tied McDonald-Smith in the No. 41 spot. He posted an eagle on Hole 6, the only two-under par showing by a Nittany Lion in the tourney.
Sophomore Christian Elliott (Port Perry, Ontario) posted a 79 on the final day to finish 63rd with junior JD Dornes (Lancaster, Pa.) rounding out the PSU field at No. 69 after tallying an 80.
Penn State's three-day score was 839 (+15) to rank No. 11. Charlotte won the regional championships with a 845 (-19), while Stanford was second with an 850 (-14). The Cardinal's Maverick McNealy was the individual winner with a three-day effort of 207. Charlotte and Stanford, along with Florida State, Florida and Clemson will be the five advancing teams to the NCAA Championships from the Chapel Hill Regional.