CARLSBAD, Calif. — Ole Miss junior Michael La Sasso overcame a pair of double bogeys with a pair of birdies on his again 9 Monday that carried him to an even-par 72 to the win the NCAA males’s title and assist ship the Rebels into the workforce portion of the championship.
La Sasso completed at 11-under 277 for a two-shot victory over Phichaksn Miachon of Texas A&M, making him solely the second Ole Miss golfer to win an NCAA title.
The victory sends the 21-year-old La Sasso to Oakmont in two weeks for the U.S. Open, and to the Masters subsequent April.
He was equally excited for Ole Miss, which nabbed the eighth and last spot that advance to match play the subsequent two days at La Costa Resort. The Rebels completed one shot forward of Florida State, a troublesome ending for Luke Clanton’s school profession.
Clanton, who has had two runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour and has earned a tour card via the PGA Tour College rating for underclassmen, struggled down the stretch with two bogeys. He missed a birdie likelihood on his last gap and closed with a 76 because the Seminoles completed at No. 9.
La Sasso entered the ultimate day with a two-shot lead and began on No. 10. He birdied the opening two holes to revive his lead over Miachon after which bumped into bother with double bogeys on Nos. 15 and 17.
However he stored a clear card the remainder of the best way and Miachon, who additionally birdied his opening two holes. Miachon did not make one other birdie and completed with a 72.
“I had a bit tough patch in the midst of the spherical, and having the ability to bounce again from that’s one thing actually particular,” La Sasso stated.
Clanton, the No. 1 newbie on the earth, is to make his professional debut subsequent week within the RBC Canadian Open.
Arizona State took the No. 1 seed over defending champion Auburn and can face Ole Miss on Tuesday within the quarterfinals of match play. The semifinals are Tuesday afternoon, adopted by the championship match on Wednesday.
The opposite 5 groups to advance have been Florida, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia. Six of the eight groups are from the Southeastern Convention.