The NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship begins with three regional tournaments on Monday, May 13.
Thirteen teams and 10 individuals not on those teams will compete at each regional for a shot at the finals, which begin on May 24 at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
FULL INFO: NCAA reveals teams selected for 2019 DI Men’s Golf Championships
Here are three of the most intriguing golfers to watch during the regionals:
Matthew Wolff, Oklahoma State
There isn’t another sophomore golfer in the country with as stacked a resume as Matthew Wolff. Wolff won the Phil Mickelson Award as the nation’s outstanding freshman in 2018, and is one of three finalists this year for the Ben Hogan Award — given to the nation’s top men’s college golfer.
As of May 10, he’s the top-ranked men’s college golfer on Golfstat, with an average score of 68.24 — the best in the country.
DI MEN'S GOLF: Rankings | Championship history | Championship information
In last year’s NCAA championship, Wolff shot a 3-under 285, putting him four strokes back from the individual lead and landing him tied for seventh place.
But if all that wasn’t enough, just check out his swing:
Matthew Wolff is -3 thru 14 in his PGA TOUR debut.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 31, 2019
🔸19 years old
🔸Attends @okstate
🔸1st-team All-American as a freshman last year
🔸 Won three straight collegiate events in the fall
And a swing you have never seen before. 😯 pic.twitter.com/rdoMo4NwS7
Yeah, that is some must-watch golf.
Collin Morikawa, California
Before 2019, in the entire history of the Ben Hogan Award, only six golfers have been a finalist for the award multiple times. Morikawa became No. 7 this year.
Ever had the chance to see @BenHoganAward finalist Collin Morikawa on the course?
— Cal Men's Golf (@CalMensGolf) May 3, 2019
Well, here you go ⤵️#Cal #GoBears #Pac12Golf #NCAAGolf #ACaseForCollin pic.twitter.com/YuaoTecKaE
The senior for California has five collegiate victories this season, including at the Pac-12 Championships and The Farms Invitational. In all 10 of his stroke-play events this year, he’s finished seventh or better.
His 68.44 stroke average is second in the nation (behind Wolff), and 0.24 strokes better than his 68.68 performance last year, which happened to set the all-time single-season NCAA record.
Brandon Mancheno, Auburn
One name you won’t find in the Golfstat or Golfweek rankings is Auburn sophomore Brandon Mancheno. But Mancheno has made a name for himself.
In last year’s NCAA championship, Mancheno and Augusta’s Broc Everett were all tied atop the individual championship leaderboard at 7-under after 72 holes. But it was Everett who survived the sudden-death playoff to take the crown in what was his first-ever collegiate victory.
INCREDIBLE!
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) April 28, 2019
What a shot from @AuburnMGolf's Brandon Mancheno #SCtop10 😱 pic.twitter.com/wtldK8S6D1
Now, Mancheno is back for his sophomore campaign, helping lead Auburn to the No. 11 ranking in the country and a 2 seed in the Louisville regional.
The 2018 SEC Freshman of the Year picked up his first collegiate win at the Tiger Invitational in March and has finished in the Top 6 four times this year, so he won't be an unknown in this year's field, but he will have some high expectations for the championship.
