The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
NCAA East Regionals
Sucher Earns Individual Spot At NCAA Nationals, Blazers Finish 14th at NCAA East Regionals
5/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
May 19, 2007
ALPHARETTA, Ga. - Sophomore Zach Sucher carded a three-under par 69 to finish tied for eighth overall with a 215 (73-73-69) at the NCAA East Regionals. Sucher earned a trip to Williamsburg, Va., as one of the top two finishers whose team did not qualify for Nationals. As a team, the UAB Blazers closed play in 14th place in the 27-team field, finishing play on the par 72, 7,017-yard Golf Club of Georgia Course with an 898 (303-299-296).
Sucher, a Second-Team All-Conference USA honoree, will be making his first-ever appearance at the NCAA Nationals. He closed play strong, recording five birdies and only two bogies on Saturday's final 18 holes. For the weekend, the Mobile, Ala. native collected a team-leading 13 birdies.
Senior Garrett Osborn closed his stellar career at UAB by finishing tied for 66th overall with a 10-over par 266 (75-73-78). Osborn, whose name is found throughout the Blazers' record book, caps a superb career which was highlighted by earning the 2007 Conference USA medalist honor. It marked the fifth tournament victory of his outstanding career.
Junior Brad Smith shot the second-lowest round of the day by a UAB golfer, carding a one-over 73, vaulting him to a tie for 78th overall with a 228 (78-77-73). Redshirt freshman Cathal O'Malley (77-78-76/231) and freshman Blake West (78-76-79/233) rounded out the Blazers, tying for 93rd and 103rd, respectively.
Four Georgia players shot sub-par rounds Saturday, and the top-ranked Bulldogs posted a 7-under-par team score of 281 on their final round to run away from the field and win the NCAA East Regional golf tournament at The Golf Club of Georgia. The Bulldogs cruised to the Regional title, winning by 12 strokes over Georgia Tech, Florida and Auburn. Brian Harman and Brendon Todd added a pair of 71s on the 7,017-yard Lakeside Course, which yielded its lowest scores of the week in near-perfect weather conditions. The Bulldogs completed the tournament with a 9-under-par total of 855, while the Yellow Jackets, Gators and Tigers each finished at 3-over-par 867.
Those four teams advance to the NCAA Division I Championship, along with Florida State (+9), Duke (+10), Charlotte (+11), North Carolina (+13) and Georgia State (+16), who finished fifth through ninth.
Coastal Carolina defeated Clemson for the 10th and final qualifying team in a playoff that lasted four holes and two-and-a-half hours. The Chanticleers began the day in seventh place and fell back after posting a 6-over-par 294, while the Tigers were tied for ninth after 36 holes and shot 292.
The Gators' Billy Horschel tied the Bulldogs' Todd for medalist honors at 6-under-par 210, one shot better than Kirk and Clemson's Kyle Stanley (5-under 211). Patton Kizzire (212) and Glenn Northcutt (213) of Auburn, who each shot 69 in the final round, finished fifth and sixth, while Georgia Tech freshman Chesson Hadley (71) Saturday was seventh at 214.
Sucher will compete at the NCAA Championship on May 30-June 2 at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Va.,
