CARLSBAD, Calif. – The No. 18 Tennessee men’s golf team extended their stay at the NCAA Championships on Sunday after posting a second consecutive score under par during round three at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.
The Vols posted a 1-under-par 287 in round three to improve to 2-over-par through three rounds of play, putting the team in a tie for 12th place among the 30 squads competing. With 54 holes of the tournament complete, the first cut has been made as only the top 15 teams have advanced to the fourth and final round of stroke play on Monday.
It is just the second time Tennessee has made the first cut at the NCAA Championships since the tournament adopted a fourth round of stroke play in 2015. The other occurrence was at the 2024 edition of the tournament, where the Vols finished in tenth place.
Looking ahead, the field is set to shrink even further after round four, as the top eight teams after 72 holes will advance to the match play quarterfinals, which will take place on Tuesday. Tennessee is currently just three strokes behind eighth-placed Duke, with the Blue Devils sitting at 1-under-par through 54 holes.
On the individual front, a national champion will be crowned at the conclusion of round four and Vol senior Lance Simpson put himself in the conversation with a huge round three on Sunday. The Knoxville, Tennessee, native fired a 4-under-par 68 for Tennessee’s low round of the weekend.
Simpson tallied five birdies to just one bogey in round three to card the Vols’ first round in the 60s of the tournament. At 5-under-par through three rounds, he is tied for 11th place and trails the individual lead by six strokes ahead of the final round of stroke play.
After opening the NCAA Championships with two rounds over par, Jackson Herrington bounced back with a 2-under-par 70 on Sunday. The sophomore posted five birdies to offset three bogeys and earn a vital round under par for the Vols. Now at 2-over-par, Herrington rose 30 spots on the individual standings to sit tied for 58th place among the 161 golfers who have competed thus far.
Tennessee’s other senior in the lineup, Josh Hill, recorded a 2-over-par 74 in round three, as four bogeys on the back nine set him back following a 1-under-par front nine. At 4-over-par, Hill is tied for 72nd place ahead of Monday’s fourth round.
Chase Kyes posted the Vols’ final countable score in round three, with a 3-over-par 75. The lone freshman in Tennessee’s lineup is also tied for 72nd place ahead of round four at 4-over-par.
The quest for a national championship will continue Monday for Tennessee, with round four of the NCAA Championships at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. Tee times for the Vols are set to begin at 1:30 p.m. EST from hole No. 1. Television coverage of the final round of stroke play will begin at 5:30 p.m. EST on the Golf Channel.
Tennessee Tee Times (Round Four)
Bruce Murphy – 1:30 p.m. EST (10:30 a.m. PST)
Chase Kyes – 1:41 p.m. EST (10:41 a.m. PST)
Josh Hill – 1:52 p.m. EST (10:52 a.m. PST)
Jackson Herrington – 2:03 p.m. EST (11:03 a.m. PST)
Lance Simpson – 2:14 p.m. EST (11:14 a.m. PST)
NCAA Championship Standings (Round Three)
1. Auburn (-22)
2. Texas (-19)
3. Vanderbilt (-9)
T-4. UCLA (-8)
T-4. Arizona (-8)
T-4. Oklahoma State (-8)
7. North Carolina (-6)
8. Duke (-1)
9. Oklahoma (E)
T-10. Virginia (+1)
T-10. Florida (+1)
T-12. LSU (+2)
T-12. San Diego (+2)
T-12. Tennessee (+2)
T-12. Stanford (+2)
– Cut Line –
16. Pepperdine (+4)
17. Mississippi State (+7)
18. BYU (+9)
19. Arkansas (+10)
20. Georgia (+12)
21. Arizona State (+13)
22. Arkansas State (+15)
23. Purdue (+16)
24. Louisville (+17)
25. Texas A&M (+18)
T-26. Ole Miss (+20)
T-26. Chattanooga (+20)
28. Memphis (+23)
29. USC (+26)
30. Florida State (+35)
Tennessee Results (Round Three)
T-11. Lance Simpson: 72-71-68 = 211 (-5)
T-58. Jackson Herrington: 75-73-70 = 218 (+2)
T-72. Josh Hill: 74-72-74 = 220 (+4)
T-72. Chase Kyes: 71-74-75 = 220 (+4)
T-133. Bruce Murphy: 80-71-76 = 227 (+11)
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