Texas Tech University Athletics
Wild finish puts Tech in Monday playoff for final spot
May 28, 2023 | Men's Golf
The Red Raiders and Ohio State will play a head-to-head playoff for the 15th and final advancing spot
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The No. 5 ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders used a back-nine charge to force a playoff for the 15th and final advancing spot at the 2023 NCAA Championships hosted by Arizona State and the Grayhawk Golf Club.
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Making the turn in jeopardy of missing the cut, Tech turned to Calum Scott and Ludvig Aberg, who went a combined -3 on the back nine.
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Heading to 17 at +26 overall, Tech turned used a pair of birdies from Scott and Aberg to move into sole control of the 15th and final spot.
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Heading to 18 with just Aberg to play and a four-shot lead over Ohio State, insanity ensued.
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Aberg bombed his drive at 18, but the ball rolled through the fairway and into the water. After taking a drop, Aberg hit his third shot on the par four to within 12 feet. After missing his par putt, Aberg knocked home a three-footer for bogey that put the Red Raiders in the clubhouse at +26 for the week.
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Fast forward 10 minutes and Ohio State went from +29 overall to +25 due to four birdies in a row on holes 6-9.
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Heading to nine with a one-shot lead, Ohio State's Neal Shipley knocked his tee shot into the desert landscape. After taking an unplayable lie, Shipley put his third shot on the green, setting up a 30-plus foot par putt. Shipley missed the par putt but was able to save his bogey to force the playoff between the Red Raiders and Buckeyes.
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Despite his bogey on 18, Aberg turned in a strong round of 69 to move back to one-over for the championship. Aberg sits tied for 19th, while Matthew Comegys sits tied for 44th at +5. Comegys shot a round of 71 boosted by an eagle on four and an even par 35 on the back nine.
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Tech and Ohio State's five players will each play a singular hole (holes 14-18) at 10 a.m. (CT) on Monday morning. The five scores from each player will be combined and the team with the lowest aggregate team score will advance to Monday's fourth and final round.
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After three rounds, No. 3 Illinois leads the NCAA Championships at -6 overall, three shots ahead of No. 8 Pepperdine at -3. The Waves finished Sunday's round at 11-under par.
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No. 9 Florida is third at -1, followed by No. 2 UNC (+1), No. 11 Gerogia Tech (+2) and No. 4 Arizona State (+11).
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No. 7 Florida State and No. 1 Vanderbilt are tied for eighth at +13 overall, with No. 16 Virginia (+14) rounding out the top-10.
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No. 12 Auburn (+16), No. 14 Texas A&M (+17), No. 15 Alabama (+21) and No. 25 Georgia (+24) round out the 14 teams as of now advancing to Monday's fourth round.
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Ross Steelman of Georgia Tech leads the individual national championship race at -9 overall. Steelman is five shots ahead of Dylan Menante of UNC and Shipley of Ohio State.
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UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders will clash with the Buckeyes in the five hole playoff (each player plays one hole) tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. (CT).
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Making the turn in jeopardy of missing the cut, Tech turned to Calum Scott and Ludvig Aberg, who went a combined -3 on the back nine.
Â
Heading to 17 at +26 overall, Tech turned used a pair of birdies from Scott and Aberg to move into sole control of the 15th and final spot.
Â
Heading to 18 with just Aberg to play and a four-shot lead over Ohio State, insanity ensued.
Â
Aberg bombed his drive at 18, but the ball rolled through the fairway and into the water. After taking a drop, Aberg hit his third shot on the par four to within 12 feet. After missing his par putt, Aberg knocked home a three-footer for bogey that put the Red Raiders in the clubhouse at +26 for the week.
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Fast forward 10 minutes and Ohio State went from +29 overall to +25 due to four birdies in a row on holes 6-9.
Â
Heading to nine with a one-shot lead, Ohio State's Neal Shipley knocked his tee shot into the desert landscape. After taking an unplayable lie, Shipley put his third shot on the green, setting up a 30-plus foot par putt. Shipley missed the par putt but was able to save his bogey to force the playoff between the Red Raiders and Buckeyes.
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Despite his bogey on 18, Aberg turned in a strong round of 69 to move back to one-over for the championship. Aberg sits tied for 19th, while Matthew Comegys sits tied for 44th at +5. Comegys shot a round of 71 boosted by an eagle on four and an even par 35 on the back nine.
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Tech and Ohio State's five players will each play a singular hole (holes 14-18) at 10 a.m. (CT) on Monday morning. The five scores from each player will be combined and the team with the lowest aggregate team score will advance to Monday's fourth and final round.
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After three rounds, No. 3 Illinois leads the NCAA Championships at -6 overall, three shots ahead of No. 8 Pepperdine at -3. The Waves finished Sunday's round at 11-under par.
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No. 9 Florida is third at -1, followed by No. 2 UNC (+1), No. 11 Gerogia Tech (+2) and No. 4 Arizona State (+11).
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No. 7 Florida State and No. 1 Vanderbilt are tied for eighth at +13 overall, with No. 16 Virginia (+14) rounding out the top-10.
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No. 12 Auburn (+16), No. 14 Texas A&M (+17), No. 15 Alabama (+21) and No. 25 Georgia (+24) round out the 14 teams as of now advancing to Monday's fourth round.
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Ross Steelman of Georgia Tech leads the individual national championship race at -9 overall. Steelman is five shots ahead of Dylan Menante of UNC and Shipley of Ohio State.
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UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders will clash with the Buckeyes in the five hole playoff (each player plays one hole) tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. (CT).
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Players Mentioned
Weidemeyer post round interview
Sunday, September 21
NCAA Championship Rd. 3 Highlights
Sunday, May 25
Greg Sands post-round interview (Rd. 3 NCAA Championships)
Sunday, May 25
NCAA Championship Rd. 1 Highlights
Friday, May 23