The Blinn College men’s golf team will play the waiting game as they look to secure a berth in the NJCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship.
The Buccaneers recently finished second to Tyler Junior College for the Region XIV Championship, a competition that encompassed two tournaments and six rounds of play, falling just four strokes shy of the Apaches. Based on Blinn’s national ranking, it will be at the mercy of the nationals selection committee when the two at-large bids are chosen.
The Bucs are currently 15th in the NJCAA Division I Men’s National Collegiate Golf Ranking System poll.
Blinn, Tyler, and Jacksonville competed in the Southwest Championship at Legends Golf Course and Villas in mid-April in Kingsland, Texas, before finishing up the regional competition with three more rounds at the NJCAA South District Championship this week at Quicksand Golf Course in San Angelo, Texas.
Across 108 total holes, the Apaches shot a combined 1,754, while the Bucs finished at 1,759. Jacksonville carded 1,793.
“It was a tough battle with Tyler throughout all six rounds but in the end, they came out on top and hats off to Tyler,” Bucs head coach David Johnson said. “We talked from day one in the fall about how every shot matters. This was proof that they all do indeed matter in the end. We gave it our best shot and came up short.”
Blinn sophomore Austin Hassell was named to the Region XIV All-Region team after finishing fourth individually among the 22 region golfers. He finished a stellar 2-under on the third round of the Southwest Championship and finished even to open South District play.
“Austin has been really consistent this year and has been our team leader,” Johnson added. I am proud of him.”
Freshman Landon Johnson placed sixth overall thanks to three rounds in which he shot par or better. Sophomore Jacob Holloway took seventh after concluding his six rounds with a 1-under par to end the South District meet.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 47 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
