By: Brad Marquardt, Assistant AD / Athletics Communications
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Texas A&M men’s golf team’s 2020-21 season ended with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Albuquerque Regional Championship on Wednesday at the Championship Course at UNM.
The Aggies fell just a single shot shy of a top five finish, which would have sent the team to the NCAA Championship next week in Scottsdale, Arizona. Texas A&M was 11-under for the tournament with rounds of 284-284-285. Advancing from the Albuquerque Regional were Texas Tech (-26), Arizona State (-16), Oregon State (-16), Oklahoma (-13) and San Diego (-12).
Junior Sam Bennett, from Madisonville, Texas, also missed a trip to the NCAA Championship by a single shot, finishing in a tie for second behind South Carolina’s Ryan Hall. Only the top individual not on a qualifying team advances to the NCAA Championship. Bennett, who won three times in 2021, fired rounds of 68-71-67 and was 10-under for the tournament.
“Super” senior Dan Erickson also challenged for medalist honors, finishing in a tie for fourth at 9-under with rounds of 68-71-68. Rounding out the Aggie finishers were senior Walker Lee in a tie for 36th at 2-over (72-71-75) and freshman Daniel Rodrigues in a tie for 51st at 6-over (76-71-75). Sophomore William Paysse posted rounds of 77 and 75 in the first two rounds, while “super” senior Brandon Smith chipped in a 75 in the third round.
Head Coach Brian Kortan said:
“We ended our season one tournament too short and that’s a tough pill to swallow. These guys don’t get a chance to win a national championship next week. That’s leaves a bad taste in our mouths and it should. On the positive side, we had a great season. We won a couple of tournaments and were ranked in the top 15 for most of the season. I don’t want to lose sight of what was a good year by this team.”
(On Sam Bennett missing out on NCAAs) “It’s a team sport and Sam understands that. He put us on his back this season and carried us. It’s kind of rough because Sam is definitely deserving of competing in the NCAA Championship, but he wants to be there with his guys.”
(On “super” seniors Dan Erickson and Brandon Smith) “Dan came back for the extra season and he had a really good season. He had a great career here and played a ton of golf for the Aggies. He’s been a tremendous competitor for us, as well as a great leader. Brandon Smith closed out his career; it was wasn’t the way he wanted it to end, but he has been a huge contributor to our team’s success over the past five years.”
(On his season as the Aggies’ interim coach) “It was a pleasure, and I hope I get to do this for a long time. It was an honor to work with this team and have them call me ‘Coach’ every day.”
Aggies on the Leaderboard (Final):
Place Team/Player Rd. 1 Rd. 2 Rd. 3 Total
6 Texas A&M 284 284 285 853
T2 Sam Bennett 68 71 67 206
T4 Dan Erickson 68 71 68 207
T36 Walker Lee 72 71 75 218
T51 Daniel Rodrigues 76 71 75 222
— William Paysse 77 75 — 152
— Brandon Smith — — 75 75