Junior Barend Botha will be competing in the NCAA Bath Regional on May 15-17.
Photo by: Bree Bee
Barend Botha to Compete in NCAA Bath Regional on May 15-17
5/3/2023 4:04:00 PM | Men's Golf
Junior is ranked as No. 1 seed among 10 individuals
TOLEDO, Ohio – Junior Barend Botha will make a short trip north on May 15-17 to compete in the NCAA Bath Regional at the Eagle Eye Golf Club in Bath, Mich. Botha is ranked as the No. 1 individual in the regional after enjoying a spectacular season that was capped off by winning the Mid-American Conference Championships on Tuesday in Athens, Ala.
"It means a lot to represent the Rockets at the NCAA Regionals," Botha said. "Winning the MAC Championships was a goal of mine since I came to Toledo, and I'm excited about the chance to compete against some of the best golfers in the nation."
A native of George, South Africa, Botha was named the MAC's Men's Golfer of the Year after posting a school-record 70.5 stroke average. That figure ranks first in program history ahead of Varsity T Hall of Famer Brad Heaven's 71.6 average in the 2003-04 campaign.
Botha collected a tournament-high 16 birdies on his way to the MAC title and has finished sixth place or better in his last four tournaments as well as six of 11 events this season. He also tied Heaven's school record with a 12-under par 204 en route to winning the first tournament of his collegiate career at UNCW's Seahawk Intercollegiate on March 26-27.
Botha will be joined by 13 teams and nine other individuals. The teams competing in the Bath regional are No. 1 Illinois, No. 2 Florida, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Oregon, No. 5 Kansas State, No. 6 Georgia, No. 7 Liberty, No. 8 San Diego, No. 9 Little Rock, No. 10 Michigan State, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 12 Illinois State and No. 13 Purdue Fort Wayne. The individuals are No. 2 Ben Warian (Minnesota), No. 3 Tyler Goecke (Wright State), No. 4 Palmer Jackson (Notre Dame), No. 5 Nathan Han (Columbia), No. 6 Mikkel Mathiesen (Wright State), No. 7 Caleb VanArragon (Valparaiso), No. 8 Nate Stevens (Notre Dame), No. 9 Anthony Delisanti (Valparaiso), and No. 10 Jack Simon (St. John's).
Eagle Eye Golf Club, a par-71, 7,156-yard course that was designed by Chris Lutzke in collaboration with Pete Dye, was designed as a rolling "links" style championship course featuring magnificent shot values on every hole. Eagle Eye provides a challenge from any of five sets of sees and is highlighted by its "Island Green" 17th hole.
Eagle Eye was named one of the top 100 public courses in the country in 2022 by Golfweek and was ranked No. 5 in the nation by Golf Advisor in 2017. The course hosted the 105th Michigan Amateur in 2016.
The five other regional sites are in Auburn, Ala.; Salem, S.C.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Norman, Okla.; and Morgan Hill, Calif.
The top five teams and top individual not on an advancing team will move on to the NCAA Championships, which will be held at the Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. from Friday-Wednesday, May 26-31.
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"It means a lot to represent the Rockets at the NCAA Regionals," Botha said. "Winning the MAC Championships was a goal of mine since I came to Toledo, and I'm excited about the chance to compete against some of the best golfers in the nation."
A native of George, South Africa, Botha was named the MAC's Men's Golfer of the Year after posting a school-record 70.5 stroke average. That figure ranks first in program history ahead of Varsity T Hall of Famer Brad Heaven's 71.6 average in the 2003-04 campaign.
Botha collected a tournament-high 16 birdies on his way to the MAC title and has finished sixth place or better in his last four tournaments as well as six of 11 events this season. He also tied Heaven's school record with a 12-under par 204 en route to winning the first tournament of his collegiate career at UNCW's Seahawk Intercollegiate on March 26-27.
Botha will be joined by 13 teams and nine other individuals. The teams competing in the Bath regional are No. 1 Illinois, No. 2 Florida, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Oregon, No. 5 Kansas State, No. 6 Georgia, No. 7 Liberty, No. 8 San Diego, No. 9 Little Rock, No. 10 Michigan State, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 12 Illinois State and No. 13 Purdue Fort Wayne. The individuals are No. 2 Ben Warian (Minnesota), No. 3 Tyler Goecke (Wright State), No. 4 Palmer Jackson (Notre Dame), No. 5 Nathan Han (Columbia), No. 6 Mikkel Mathiesen (Wright State), No. 7 Caleb VanArragon (Valparaiso), No. 8 Nate Stevens (Notre Dame), No. 9 Anthony Delisanti (Valparaiso), and No. 10 Jack Simon (St. John's).
Eagle Eye Golf Club, a par-71, 7,156-yard course that was designed by Chris Lutzke in collaboration with Pete Dye, was designed as a rolling "links" style championship course featuring magnificent shot values on every hole. Eagle Eye provides a challenge from any of five sets of sees and is highlighted by its "Island Green" 17th hole.
Eagle Eye was named one of the top 100 public courses in the country in 2022 by Golfweek and was ranked No. 5 in the nation by Golf Advisor in 2017. The course hosted the 105th Michigan Amateur in 2016.
The five other regional sites are in Auburn, Ala.; Salem, S.C.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Norman, Okla.; and Morgan Hill, Calif.
The top five teams and top individual not on an advancing team will move on to the NCAA Championships, which will be held at the Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. from Friday-Wednesday, May 26-31.
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