Just one month ago it was unclear if the men's golf team would qualify for the East Regionals. Now the Blue Devils are headed the NCAA Championships.
Duke finished in sixth place at last week's East Regionals in Providence, R.I., and by finishing in the top 11 of 23 teams, the Blue Devils earned the right to compete for a national championship at Hazeltine National Golf Course in Chaska, Minn., from June 2-5.
"We're obviously really pleased," coach Rod Myers said. "This has been a lot of fun. This group has worked hard and when goals start to be achieved, that's where the fun is. We're really getting better each week."
Kevin Streelman, who before the Regionals had Duke's worst stroke average and played the fewest rounds, led the way for the Blue Devils, finishing with a 5-over-par 218. His 69 in the second round was a career low, and it was his surprising success over all three days that propelled Duke to its strong finish.
"Kevin did a really nice job, he made the difference," Myers said. "His performance was a big surprise really. He started to get things together these past three weeks, but never really got the opportunity to show it. It's finally coming together for him, he's striking the ball well and he's probably the longest driver on the team.
Streelman's surprising performance is symbolic of the entire Blue Devil team lately. Duke reentered the Regionals picture with a second-place finish at the ACCs in April, but a dismal first two rounds at the Wofford Invitational once again placed the Blue Devils on the bubble.
But in the final round at Wofford, Duke fired a field-low 8-under 280 to jump from 10th place to fifth, securing the invitation.
"I thought the guys had kicked themselves out for sure," Myers said. "But they came back with just a super round that got them into the NCAAs.
"The thing that pleases me most with this group is their attitude. They have really stayed positive, and when you do that, good things start to happen."
Senior Kyle Elfers made a nice little come back himself last week. After shooting a 75 in the first round, Elfers became sick that night and woke up feeling ill. He shot a 77 that day but rebounded with a tremendous round, a career low, 4-under-par 67. Elfers finished in 37th place with a 6-over 219.
Marc Chatelain and Matt Krauss tied for 43rd place, finishing with a 7-over 220. The Blue Devils found themselves in fifth place after the first round, largely due to Krauss' opening 69. In each round of the Regionals, Duke had one player shoot in the 60s, a lift that the Blue Devils missed earlier in the season.
"This is not the most talented group I've had," Myers said. "But it's a testament to them that they're achieving at this level. They're all just working really hard."
Rounding out Duke's scorecard was Minnesota native Mike Christensen, who finished at 9-over-par. The junior gets to return home, but the homecoming may not be that sweet.
Duke will be competing with 29 other teams, all among the nation's best, on a very long and demanding course. The Blue Devils enter the tournament just looking to make the 36-hole cut, but Myers believes there's always a chance for something special to happen.
"Realistically, this group won't come into the tournament with much of a chance to win," Myers said. "There's a lot of really good teams out there. But stranger things have happened. Golf's a strange game that way. And we have the potential to do some things when we're all playing well."
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