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MATT HILL WINS NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
20-year old Team Canada member becomes second Canadian to win NCAA title
Oakville, Ont. (RCGA) – Team Canada member and North Carolina State sophomore, Matt Hill, shot his third consecutive 2-under 69 Thursday to finish at 6-under par (69-69-69—207) and claim individual honours at the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships held at Inverness Club in Toledo, OH.
A rain delay Wednesday and a stoppage in play Thursday due to darkness meant Hill had to wait until Friday morning to officially be crowned champion. The delay didn’t take any emotion out of Hill’s win.
"I'm pretty pumped up, that's for sure, and a little bit relieved at the same time," Hill said following his third round.
Hill started Thursday’s third round on hole No.10 and came out with a birdie and a bogey on his front nine. The slow but steady start caused him to temporarily lose the lead to a sizzling Kyle Stanley of Clemson University.
Hill, a Bright’s Grove, Ont. native who began the championship as the No. 2 ranked collegiate player according to GolfStat, made three birdies down the stretch to regain the lead before playing keep away with it for a few holes.
With the win, the 20-year old becomes only the second Canadian in history to capture the top individual prize. James Lepp of Abbotsford, B.C. became the first when he managed the feat in 2005.
“This is an amazing accomplishment for Matt,” said Doug Roxburgh, RCGA Director of High Performance Programs. “Taking home top individual honours among such a solid field of golfers is a testament to his skill, determination and work ethic.”
Hill’s win marks his eighth of the season and he joins Tiger Woods (Stanford, 1996) as the only players since the inception of NCAA postseason regional play to finish first in his conference (co-medalist, Atlantic Coast), region (Central) and NCAA finals.
His Team Canada teammates, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. and Eugene Wong of North Vancouver, B.C., finished T9 at even par and T89 at +12 respectively.
“We’re extremely proud of all the Canadians who competed throughout the year and at the NCAA Division I championships,” added Roxburgh. “I’m sure I speak on behalf of Henry Brunton, Men’s National Team Coach and his assistant, Derek Ingram that this year’s results speak volumes about the quality of Canada’s top golfers, the support that our National Team program is providing, and the work of our provincial Golf Association partners such as the Golf Association of Ontario (GAO). Matt is fortunate to have had a strong support team in addition to the National Team program from coaches such as Ralph Bauer and Dave Woods. Congratulations to Matt’s family, members at Sarnia Golf & Curling Club and North Carolina State for their support over the years – a great team effort. ”
Other notable Canadians who competed at the NCAA Division I Championship include former Canadian amateur champion Darren Wallace of Langley B.C., Brady Johnson of Mill Bay, B.C. and Matt Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont. Wallace finished T23 at +3, Johnson finished T96 at +13 and Hoffman finished T113 at +15.
Both Taylor and Wallace play on the University of Washington Huskies squad and will continue with their quest to capture the team title as Team Match play which concludes Saturday.
Hill competed as an individual at the 112th playing of the NCAA Division I Men's Championship, as his University of North Carolina Wolfpack team narrowly missed regional qualifying for the NCAA Championships. As such, he will not move on to team match play.
Team Canada, also known as the National Amateur Team program, is designed to offer athletes a year-round environment which incorporates state-of-the-art coaching and sport science expertise. The intent of this aggressive program is to aid Canada’s top up-and-coming amateur players in all areas of their development to produce the best golfers in the world.
Individual Results (top 10)
1. Matt Hill, North Carolina State, 69-69-69—207 -6
2. Kyle Stanley, Clemson, 72-71-66—209 -5
T3. Rickie Fowler, Oklahoma State, 72-70-68—210 -3
T3. Tom Glissmeyer Southern California, 74-70-66—210 -3
T3. Tom Hoge, TCU, 70-70-70—210 -3
6. Alexander Sitompul, Michigan, 72-69-70—211 -2
T7. Blayne Barber, UCF, 75-69-68—212 -1
T7. Morgan Hoffmann, Oklahoma State, 72-69-71—212 -1
T9. Brian Harman, Georgia, 71-71-71—213 E
T9. Russell Henley, Georgia, 71-67-75—213 E
T9. Jesper Kennegard, Arizona State, 72-69-72—213 E
T9. Nick Taylor, Washington, 70-70-73—213 E
* Canadians in bold
Individual play wrapped up today and team match play will conclude over the weekend. A full listing of team and individual scores and live team scores for the NCAA Division I Golf Championship can be found online at www.golfstat.com.
ABOUT THE RCGA NATIONAL TEAM PROGRAM
The RCGA National Team Program incorporates advanced coaching, sport science expertise, training camps and world-class competition. The RCGA allocates over $1 million of its resources annually to the National Team program, encompassing strength and conditioning, sports psychology, nutrition, biomechanics and technique development. Players who are selected to the National Amateur and National Developmental Teams represent Canada at six to 10 internationally-sanctioned golf competitions throughout the year. The intent of this comprehensive program is to aid Canada’s top up-and-coming amateur players in all areas of their development, helping Canada produce the best golfers in the world.
Team Canada, the pinnacle of the RCGA’s High Performance Program, provides access to world class resources including coaching, nutrition, sport science, mental management, equipment and elite competitive opportunities.
The RCGA’s High Performance Program and Team Canada are proudly sponsored by Titleist, Foot-Joy and Under Armour.
For more information about Team Canada or to make a donation towards the development of Canada’s future golf stars, please visit www.rcga.org.
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