TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: NCAA Salem Regional

Credit to Thomas Dugger Dick  |  Assistant Communications Director – 12thman.com

SALEM, S.C. – The No. 14 Texas A&M Aggies battle for a spot in the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships as they head to the Salem Regional contested Monday to Wednesday in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Hosted by Clemson, the regional site is The Cliffs at Keowee Falls, a par-72, 7,126-yard course. The top five teams at each of the NCAA’s six regionals advance to the championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, slated for May 26-31.

The Aggies are making their 48^th NCAA postseason appearance, including the 19^th time the last 20 seasons. The NCAA has hosted regionals since 1989 and the Maroon & White have earned 30^th trips in that span.

Texas A&M fields a formidable lineup including All-SEC nods Sam Bennett and William Paysse. This season, Bennett was the Masters Tournament low amateur and 122^nd U.S. Amateur champion along with earning a victory at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate. Paysse owns a season-opening win at the Badger Invitational. The fivesome is rounded out by Daniel Rodrigues, Phichaksn Maichon and Vishnu Sadagopan.

 

The 14-team field includes four teams ranked in the top 25, including No. 2 North Carolina, No. 11 Georgia Tech and No. 23 San Diego State. NCAA started having regionals in 1989 and the Maroon & White are looking to claim their fourth crown, winning in 1996, 2018 and 2019.

Texas A&M has four victories in the 2022-23 campaign, including the Badger Invitational, the Blessings Collegiate Invitational, the Arizona Thunderbirds Intercollegiate and the Louisiana Classics.

Monday’s action starts at 7:00 a.m. Central with the Aggies teeing off from the 1^st hole paired with No. 2 North Carolina and No. 11 Georgia Tech.

 

Live scoring is available at Golfstat.com.

THE FIELD (GOLFSTAT RANKINGS)

North Carolina (2)

Georgia Tech (11)

Texas A&M (14)

San Diego State (23)

Georgia Southern (26)

Arkansas (35)

Purdue (38)

New Mexico (47)

Clemson (54)

Furman (58)

Middle Tennessee (64)

Northern Illinois (127)

Long Island (186)

Longwood (201)

 

THE LINEUP

Team

Sam Bennett – Senior – Madisonville, Texas

• 122nd United States Amateur Champion – 2022.
• Earned the Silver Cup as the Low Amateur at the Masters Tournament, finishing in 16^th place at 2-under 286 (the first amateur to finish in the top 20 since 2005.
• 2022-23 All-SEC First Team – fourth career All-SEC honor and third time as a first-teamer.
• 2022 PING All-America First Team.
• 2022 SEC Golfer of the Year.
• Owns a 70.41 stroke average in 2022-23, including -0.97 vs. par in 29 rounds.
• Owns five career collegiate titles, including the John A. Burns Intercollegiate earlier this spring.
• Last time out – tied for 16^th place at the SEC Championship at 1-under 209 and went 2-0 in match play.

William Paysse – Senior – Belton, Texas

• 2022-23 All-SEC Second Team.
• Earned All-SEC First Team and Freshman All-SEC, as well as PING All-America Honorable Mention and GCAA National All-Freshman in 2020.
• Owns a 71.39 stroke average over eight tournaments in 2022-23, including earning co-medalist honors at the Badger Invitational.
• Boasted three top-10 finishes in 2022-23, including a 3^rd place finish at the Southern Highlands Collegiate.
• Played in 11 tournaments in 2021-22, registering a 72.09 stroke average and seven top-25 finishes.
• Last time out – tied for 19^th place at the SEC Championship at even 210 and went 1-1 in match play.

Daniel Rodrigues– Junior – Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

• SEC Golfer of the Week on Oct. 14 following his win at the Blessings Intercollegiate (11-under 205).
• Owns a 71.28 stroke average in 2022-23, including -0.16 vs. par over a team-high 32 rounds.
• Started the 2022-23 campaign with sub-70 scores in six of his first seven.
• Tied for 5^th place at the SEC Match Play hosted by Jerry Pate in the fall.
• Registered a 72.23 stroke average in 10 tournaments in 2021-22, including top 10 finishes at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate (t-4th) and the Louisiana Classics (t-6th).

• Last time out – tied for 34^th place at the SEC Championship at 2-over 212 and went 1-1 in match play.

Phichaksn Maichon – Sophomore – Bangkok, Thailand

• Owns a 70.48 stroke average in 27 rounds over nine tournaments in 2022-23, including -0.96 versus par.
• Finished in the top 10 in five of his six tournaments this spring, including a win at the Bearkat Invitational, a runner-up showing at the Aggie Invitational and a 3^rd place finish at the SEC Championship in his last three events.
• Earned his first career victory as medalist at the Huntsville Toyota Bearkat Invitational at 11-under 205, picking up SEC Golfer of the Week recognition.
• Competed in 10 tournaments as a freshman in 2021-22, registering a 73.37 stoke average.
• Held the day two lead at the 2022 SEC Championships.

• Last time out – tied for 3^rd place at the SEC Championship at 7-under 203 and went 2-0 in match play.

Vishnu Sadagopan – Sophomore – Pearland, Texas

• Boasts a 70.77 scoring average in nine tournaments in 2022-23, recording top-10 finishes at the Badger Invitational (t-7^th), the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate (t-5^th) and the Louisiana Classics (t-4^th).
• Earned All-Tournament recognition at the Louisiana Classics, shooting 4-over 217 to finish tied for fourth.
• Participated in the 2022 United States Amateur Championship.
• Played in three events in 2021-22, placing 13^th at the Washington County Invitational in Hartford, Wisconsin.
• Last time out –tied for 44^th place at the SEC Championship at 4-over 214 and went 1-1 in match play.

Jaime Montojo – Freshman – Madrid, Spain

• Owns a 71.69 stroke average over 26 rounds in 2022-23.
• In fall 2022, placed third in a field of 28 at the Badger Invitational individual tournament with a 1-over 143 at Pleasant View Golf Course.
• Earned SEC Freshman of the Week twice – after an 18th place finish at the Blessings Collegiate invitational and an 8^th place finish at the Arizona Thunderbirds Intercollegiate.
• Garnered All-Tournament recognition at the Louisiana Classics, shooting 4-over 217 to finish tied for fourth place.

• Last time out – tied for 17^th at the Aggie Invitational (even 216).

 

 

COURSE
The Cliffs at Keowee Falls is a Jack Nicklaus design featuring tree-lined fairways in a series of picturesque holes in rollicking foothills. The course features undulating terrain along Falls Creek and offers plenty of challenges including sand, water and oaks on 16 acres of nature-drenched land.

WEATHER FORECAST

Accuweather.com

Monday: 77/64, mostly cloudy and humid; a passing shower in the morning followed by a couple thunderstorms in the afternoon. E 6-8 MPH, 86% probability of precipitation.

Tuesday: 81/62, mostly cloudy with a couple of showers and thunderstorms, heaviest late in the day. SW 7-10 MPH, 96% probability of precipitation.

Wednesday: 78/61, times of clouds and sun with a thundershower. N 5-9 MPH, 80% probability of precipitation.

Weather.com     

Monday: 78/63, considerable cloudiness, occasional rain showers in the afternoon, E 5-10 MPH, 58% probability of precipitation.

Tuesday: 82/62, showers early then scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day, gusty winds and small hail are possible, SW 5-10 MPH, 56% probability of precipitation.

Wednesday: 78/58, scattered thunderstorms, ENE 5-10 MPH, 58% probability of precipitation.