NCAA GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
May 24-29, 2024
Carlsbad, California
Omni La Costa Resort (North Course)
Round One Tee Times: 7:02 to 7:46 a.m. PT (10:02 to 10:46 a.m. ET)
Purdue Heads to California in Search of Second National Title
• The Purdue men's golf team heads West in search of its second national title, when it begins play in the NCAA National Championships on Friday, May 24, at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa's North Course in Carlsbad, California.
• The Boilermakers are making their fourth National Championships appearance under Rob Bradley, but their first since 2017. The four appearances are the second most in the Big Ten in that span behind Illinois' nine trips.
• Purdue earned the No. 19 seed in the Championships, its highest seed of the Bradley era. The Boilermakers are ranked No. 27 in the latest Clippd national ranking. The highest Purdue has been ranked in the final rankings since 2000 is a No. 18 national ranking in 2002. The 2022 team was ranked No. 26 in the final rankings, the only other time in the top 30.
Purdue on Record-Breaking Run
• Purdue played in its ninth NCAA Regional in the last 10 chances after missing Regionals in 2021 -- although we contend that Purdue would have played in Regionals if it played in the fall season of 2020. It's the best stretch for the Boilermaker program since the 50s and 60s.
• Purdue made 19 straight NCAA Championships appearances from 1949 to 1967, winning the National Championships in 1961.
• Purdue's nine Regionals appearances in the last 10 years are the second most in the league (Illinois - 10; Purdue - 9; Ohio State - 8; Northwestern - 7).
The Underdog Role Fits Well
• In six of the nine Regional years, Purdue has exceeded their seeding expectations at NCAA Regionals, advancing to the NCAA Championships four times and losing in a playoff once in the process.
The Head-to-Head Numbers
• Purdue is a solid 17-21-1 in head-to-head numbers against the field. The Boilermakers are 0-8-0 against teams seeded in the single-digits, but is a strong 17-13-1 against teams seeded 10 through 30. Against teams seeded 16 through 30, Purdue is 10-6-1.
Boilermaker Team Notes
• Purdue had two players finish in the top 10 at NCAA Regionals for the first time since the 2002 Regionals. Herman Sekne (T-4) and Nels Surtani (T-10) both placed in the top 10.
• Purdue's 54-hole total of 11-under par was the best score in relation to par in the Boilermakers' NCAA action. The 853 was the third-best tournament score in NCAA play.
• Purdue's 277 in the second round at Regionals was its third-best score in its NCAA history. The 11-under score was the best in relation to par.
• Purdue's 18-hole team average of 285.66 is the best in school history.
• Purdue has had four of its five likely golfers shoot 65 or better this year.
• Two players have won events in the same season for the first time since 2018. Herman Sekne won the Windon Memorial Classic while Nels Surtani won the Puerto Rico Classic.
• Purdue owns eight top-3 finishes in its 11 events this year. The Boilermakers have finished in the top three in each of last five events.
• Purdue has posted five team rounds of 275 or better or lower. In its school history, Purdue had recorded 14 rounds of 275 or better prior to this year. Eighteen of the 19 rounds of 275 in school history have come under during the Rob Bradley tenure.
• The 13-lowest, 54-hole team scores in Purdue history are under Bradley.
Herman Sekne
• Argubly Purdue's best golfer in school history, Sekne is ranked No. 16 in the latest PGATour U. standings and 21st in the WAGR rankings.
• Has finished top 5 in each of his last three events.
• 2023 Third-Team All-American, Purdue's first All-American since 2002.
• Named Big Ten Golfer of the Week eight times, the second-most weekly honors in Big Ten history.
• Won the Les Bolstad Award, given to the Big Ten golfer with the lowest stroke average, Purdue's first winner since 2007.
• Named first-team All-Big Ten three times.
• Played on a sponsor's exemption in the PGA Tour's Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic.
• Owns seven rounds of 65 or better. No one else in Purdue history has more than three.
• Has six career tournaments of 205 or better. Just two other players (Cole Bradley - 3; Adam Schenk - 2) have multiple results of 205 or lower.
• His 62 at the 2023 Big Ten Championships was a Galloway National course record, a Big Ten Championships record and a Purdue school record.
Nels Surtani
• Named second-team All-Big Ten with a 72.09 stroke average and 15 rounds of even-par or better (seven rounds in the 60s).
• Has finished in the top 19 in five of six events this spring, including a T-10 showing at the NCAA West Lafayette Regional.
• Won the loaded Puerto Rico Classic with a 15-under par 201, the third-lowest, 54-hole score in Purdue history.
• Ranks second in career stroke average (72.65) and ninth on the single-season list.
Kent Hsiao
• Surged late in the season, playing his best golf entering Nationals.
• Led by three shots after 36 holes at the NCAA West Lafayette Regional. Shot a 2nd-round 65, tied for the best score in Purdue's NCAA history.
• Has finished in the top 21 in each of the last four tournaments, including a T-9 finish at the prestigious Calusa Cup.
• Leads the team with 97 birdies on the season and played the Par-5's in a tourney-best 7-under par at Regionals.
Peyton Snoeberger
• Also had a solid spring, posting three top-18 finishes in the last five events, including a T-11 showing at the Big Ten Championships.
• Has four top-20 placings in 10 events this season.
• Reached the round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur in 2022, defeating co-medalist Luke Gutschewski in the round of 64 at Ridgewood Country Club (N.J.).
• Has advanced to U.S. Open Sectional qualifying twice in his career, including as a high school junior in 2018.
Sam Easterbrook
• One of England's top junior golfers, Easterbrook has had an up-and-down freshman season.
• Has a 73.03 stroke average, the best mark for a freshman in school history.
• Has three top-10 finishes, good for second on the team. Posted back-to-back top-5 showings at the Calusa Cup and Robert Kepler Intercollegiate.
• Was the stroke-play medalist at the 2022 English Men's Amateur Championship and was eighth at the English Boys Open. Reached match play at The Amateur Championship in June 2022.
May 24-29, 2024
Carlsbad, California
Omni La Costa Resort (North Course)
Round One Tee Times: 7:02 to 7:46 a.m. PT (10:02 to 10:46 a.m. ET)
Purdue Heads to California in Search of Second National Title
• The Purdue men's golf team heads West in search of its second national title, when it begins play in the NCAA National Championships on Friday, May 24, at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa's North Course in Carlsbad, California.
• The Boilermakers are making their fourth National Championships appearance under Rob Bradley, but their first since 2017. The four appearances are the second most in the Big Ten in that span behind Illinois' nine trips.
• Purdue earned the No. 19 seed in the Championships, its highest seed of the Bradley era. The Boilermakers are ranked No. 27 in the latest Clippd national ranking. The highest Purdue has been ranked in the final rankings since 2000 is a No. 18 national ranking in 2002. The 2022 team was ranked No. 26 in the final rankings, the only other time in the top 30.
Purdue on Record-Breaking Run
• Purdue played in its ninth NCAA Regional in the last 10 chances after missing Regionals in 2021 -- although we contend that Purdue would have played in Regionals if it played in the fall season of 2020. It's the best stretch for the Boilermaker program since the 50s and 60s.
• Purdue made 19 straight NCAA Championships appearances from 1949 to 1967, winning the National Championships in 1961.
• Purdue's nine Regionals appearances in the last 10 years are the second most in the league (Illinois - 10; Purdue - 9; Ohio State - 8; Northwestern - 7).
The Underdog Role Fits Well
• In six of the nine Regional years, Purdue has exceeded their seeding expectations at NCAA Regionals, advancing to the NCAA Championships four times and losing in a playoff once in the process.
The Head-to-Head Numbers
• Purdue is a solid 17-21-1 in head-to-head numbers against the field. The Boilermakers are 0-8-0 against teams seeded in the single-digits, but is a strong 17-13-1 against teams seeded 10 through 30. Against teams seeded 16 through 30, Purdue is 10-6-1.
Boilermaker Team Notes
• Purdue had two players finish in the top 10 at NCAA Regionals for the first time since the 2002 Regionals. Herman Sekne (T-4) and Nels Surtani (T-10) both placed in the top 10.
• Purdue's 54-hole total of 11-under par was the best score in relation to par in the Boilermakers' NCAA action. The 853 was the third-best tournament score in NCAA play.
• Purdue's 277 in the second round at Regionals was its third-best score in its NCAA history. The 11-under score was the best in relation to par.
• Purdue's 18-hole team average of 285.66 is the best in school history.
• Purdue has had four of its five likely golfers shoot 65 or better this year.
• Two players have won events in the same season for the first time since 2018. Herman Sekne won the Windon Memorial Classic while Nels Surtani won the Puerto Rico Classic.
• Purdue owns eight top-3 finishes in its 11 events this year. The Boilermakers have finished in the top three in each of last five events.
• Purdue has posted five team rounds of 275 or better or lower. In its school history, Purdue had recorded 14 rounds of 275 or better prior to this year. Eighteen of the 19 rounds of 275 in school history have come under during the Rob Bradley tenure.
• The 13-lowest, 54-hole team scores in Purdue history are under Bradley.
Herman Sekne
• Argubly Purdue's best golfer in school history, Sekne is ranked No. 16 in the latest PGATour U. standings and 21st in the WAGR rankings.
• Has finished top 5 in each of his last three events.
• 2023 Third-Team All-American, Purdue's first All-American since 2002.
• Named Big Ten Golfer of the Week eight times, the second-most weekly honors in Big Ten history.
• Won the Les Bolstad Award, given to the Big Ten golfer with the lowest stroke average, Purdue's first winner since 2007.
• Named first-team All-Big Ten three times.
• Played on a sponsor's exemption in the PGA Tour's Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic.
• Owns seven rounds of 65 or better. No one else in Purdue history has more than three.
• Has six career tournaments of 205 or better. Just two other players (Cole Bradley - 3; Adam Schenk - 2) have multiple results of 205 or lower.
• His 62 at the 2023 Big Ten Championships was a Galloway National course record, a Big Ten Championships record and a Purdue school record.
Nels Surtani
• Named second-team All-Big Ten with a 72.09 stroke average and 15 rounds of even-par or better (seven rounds in the 60s).
• Has finished in the top 19 in five of six events this spring, including a T-10 showing at the NCAA West Lafayette Regional.
• Won the loaded Puerto Rico Classic with a 15-under par 201, the third-lowest, 54-hole score in Purdue history.
• Ranks second in career stroke average (72.65) and ninth on the single-season list.
Kent Hsiao
• Surged late in the season, playing his best golf entering Nationals.
• Led by three shots after 36 holes at the NCAA West Lafayette Regional. Shot a 2nd-round 65, tied for the best score in Purdue's NCAA history.
• Has finished in the top 21 in each of the last four tournaments, including a T-9 finish at the prestigious Calusa Cup.
• Leads the team with 97 birdies on the season and played the Par-5's in a tourney-best 7-under par at Regionals.
Peyton Snoeberger
• Also had a solid spring, posting three top-18 finishes in the last five events, including a T-11 showing at the Big Ten Championships.
• Has four top-20 placings in 10 events this season.
• Reached the round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur in 2022, defeating co-medalist Luke Gutschewski in the round of 64 at Ridgewood Country Club (N.J.).
• Has advanced to U.S. Open Sectional qualifying twice in his career, including as a high school junior in 2018.
Sam Easterbrook
• One of England's top junior golfers, Easterbrook has had an up-and-down freshman season.
• Has a 73.03 stroke average, the best mark for a freshman in school history.
• Has three top-10 finishes, good for second on the team. Posted back-to-back top-5 showings at the Calusa Cup and Robert Kepler Intercollegiate.
• Was the stroke-play medalist at the 2022 English Men's Amateur Championship and was eighth at the English Boys Open. Reached match play at The Amateur Championship in June 2022.