STILLWATER, Okla. -
UMKC men's golfer Antoine Rozner finished as the runner-up at the NCAA Regional in Stillwater, Okla., at Karsten Creek Golf Course, closing out the event at +1 and as the highest individual not on a top-five team, advancing him to the NCAA Championship.
“It's amazing,†Rozner said. “Everybody who plays in college golf dreams about going to the NCAA finals. It's a huge accomplishment and I can't wait to be there. It's one of the biggest amateur tournaments in the world so I'm really excited. But I won't go there just to play, I definitely want to do something great and I'm confident if I play the way I played this week I'll be in good shape.â€
Rozner began the day with back-to-back birdies on the par-4 10th and the par-3 11th, but quickly fell to +1 with a bogey and a double bogey on No. 12 and No. 13. After another bogey on No. 17, the Paris, France native rebounded with back-to-back birdies on the par-5's of No. 18 and No. 1 to move back into the lead. Rozner then followed with a bogey and three straight pars, but closed the round with bogies on three of the final four holes to finish the day at +4 and the tournament at +1.
Rozner becomes the second ever UMKC golfer to advance to the NCAA Championship, along with Robert Russell in 1997, and the first WAC golfer since 2006 when Nevada made the tournament as a team.
Thibault Vieilledent carded the ‘Roos second best score in the event, placing in a tie for 36th at +16 after matching Rozner with a 76 on the final day of play. Vieilledent started the day slow, playing the first nine holes at +5 with a lone birdie on the par-5 14th. On the second nine, however, Vieilledent rebounded with a birdie on the par-4 2nd and four pars over the first five holes. The Frenchman then closed the round with birdies on two of the final four holes, the par-4 6th and par-5 9th, to close the tournament.
The ‘Roos third Frenchman, Francois Lagraulet, improved his score for the third straight day, firing a 78 in the final round that included his lone birdie on the par-4 16th, to climb into a tie for 58th.
Tying Lagraulet for 58th was senior Cameron Wiltse, who closed out his UMKC career with a final round 81 with birdies on No. 6 and No. 9.
Jakob Garstecki, meanwhile, tied for 67th individually with a final round 86.
As a team, the ‘Roos finished 12th in the 14 field event, while No. 6 Oklahoma State claimed the team title at +7, 19 shots better than No. 18 Oklahoma. Joining the Cowboys and the Sooners in advancing are No. 7 Clemson, Louisville and No. 31 Purdue.
Individually, OSU's No. 47 Kristoffer Ventura claimed the individual title, topping Rozner by just one stroke at even par.
Rozner will now head to Eugene, Ore., on May 27-June1 at the Eugene Country Club to make a run at the NCAA Championship.