The men's golf team qualified for the NCAA Championships with its fifth place, 866 stroke finish at the NCAA East Regional held at the par-72, 7207-yard Auburn University Club in Auburn, Ala, last week.
The Blue Devils were led by senior Leif Olson's 211 (71-70-70) stroke performance, the 12th best individual tally of the tournament.
Olson, who is Duke's lone senior, had four birdies to offset his two bogeys in the final round Saturday May, 17th, to give him three consecutive sub-par rounds. Several other Blue Devils also proved clutch on the tournament's final round: Mike Castleforte scored a 71, Ryan Blaum and Tom Lefebvre each had a 73 and Nathan Smith shot a 79.
Blaum's three day total was 218, Lefebvre finished with a 220, Castleforte had a 222 and Smith rounded out the team's scoring with a total of 232 strokes for the three round tournament.
The NCAA Championships will be held at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla., May 27-30.
The fifth place finish was second to 1997's fourth place showing for the best performance in Duke men's golf history. The Blue Devils' trip to Oklahoma will mark its 13th appearance in the NCAA Championships, and its first since 1999.
Duke's best ever finish in the tournament came in 1947 when the Blue Devils came in second place.
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