The 14th-ranked University of Minnesota men's golf team carded a final round of 2-under-par 286 for a tournament total of 870 (+6) to finish in a tie for seventh place at the NCAA Central Regional on Saturday. With that placement, the Golden Gophers, along with the other schools who finished in the top-10, advance to the NCAA Championships. Oklahoma State placed first at 8-under 856, followed by Illinois at 861 and North Carolina State at 862, the only three teams to complete the event under par. The Golden Gophers and Illinois are the only two Big Ten schools to move on to compete for the national title. The NCAA Central Regional was held at the par 72, 7,228-yard Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan, Kan.

Leading the team throughout the regional was junior David Morgan (Rochester, Minn./Robert L. Stevenson). He fired his third consecutive round of even-par 72 for a score of 216 to tie for 27th place. The three-round score was Morgan's third lowest of his career. Senior Wilhelm Schauman (Djursholm, Sweden/Victor Rydberg) shot a final round of 2-under 70 to move up to a tie for 43rd place at 219 (+3). Junior Justin Smith (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) also tied for 43rd with a final round of 73. Senior Simon Nash (Pullanvale, Australia/St. Joseph's) carded a 77 to tie for 67th place with a score of 222 (+6), while fellow senior Matt Anderson (Edina, Minn./Edina) completed the event with a score of 71 for a total of 227 (+11) to tie for 109th place.

The Golden Gophers will next compete May 27-30 in the NCAA Championships in Stillwater, Okla. Minnesota is making its sixth consecutive appearance, 19th overall, in the finals. Last season, the Gophers won the NCAA Championship with a come-from-behind performance in the last round to take the national golf title for the first time in school history.

Final Team Scores NCAA Central Regional Colbert Hills Golf Course Par 72, 7,228 yards 1. Oklahoma State 285-289-282-856 (-8) 2. Illinois 275-295-291-861 (-3) 3. North Carolina State 283-289-290-862 (-2) 4. North Carolina 283-295-289-867 (+3) Texas 285-298-284-867 (+3) 6. Kentucky 280-301-288-869 (+5) 7. Minnesota 287-297-286-870 (+6) Southern Methodist 277-301-292-870 (+6) Arkansas 286-292-292-870 (+6) 10. Wichita State 290-287-294-871 (+7) 11. Kansas State 287-305-280-872 (+8) 12. Texas Tech 296-293-285-874 (+10) 13. Lamar 285-304-286-875 (+11) 14. Toledo 295-301-280-876 (+12) Ohio State 293-293-290-876 (+12) 16. TCU 287-300-290-877 (+13) 17. Kent State 291-295-293-879 (+15) North Texas 285-303-291-879 (+15) 19. Kansas 295-298-288-881 (+17) 20. Oklahoma 292-296-294-882 (+18) Michigan State 289-300-293-882 (+18) 22. Northwestern 287-308-289-884 (+20) 23. Tulsa 291-299-297-887 (+23) Wright State 297-297-293-887 (+23) Texas A&M 296-297-294-887 (+23) 26. Missouri 298-300-290-888 (+24) 27. Baylor 289-313-291-893 (+29)

Golden Gopher Scores T27. David Morgan 72-72-72-216 (E) T43. Wilhelm Schauman 74-75-70-219 (+3) T43. Justin Smith 71-75-73-219 (+3) T67. Simon Nash 70-75-77-222 (+6) T109. Matt Anderson 75-81-71-227 (+11)