The News staff reports
KOHLER, Wis. — Baylor freshman Braden Bailey put an exclamation point on an outstanding freshman season Wednesday by matching the low score of day in the NCAA Regional played over the Meadows Course at Blackwolf Run.
The PN-G ex fired a four-under-par 68, enabling him to finish T5 overall and helping the Bears finish T4 with Florida State. The top five teams advance to next week’s NCAA championships in Eugene, Ore.
Bailey, who was T18 out of 75 players after shooting 74-71 the first two days, got his round going with an eagle 3 on the 4th hole, gave a stroke back with a bogey at the par 4, 9th, then reeled off consecutive birdies at the par 5, 11th, the par 4, 12th and the par 4, 13.
Teammate Matthew Perrine was one of four players in the field to match Bailey’s 68. Four Baylor players posted sub-par rounds, with Andreas Getsby and Freddy Anderson both at 69. It all added up to a school NCAA regional record of 14 under for the Bears.
Illinois won the regional with a team total of 11-under-par. Florida and Arkansas tied for second at 7 under, with Florida State and Baylor another stoke back. Baylor had been in sixth place starting the final round but zoomed past Idaho.
Bailey’s 54-hole total of three-under 213 was four strokes off the individual winning score of 209 posted by Tee-K Kelly of Ohio State, who was competing as a medalist. Alejandro Tosti of Florida was second at 210, followed by the Illinois duo of Thomas Detry and Charlie Danielson at 212.