NCAA Regional Play Begins Monday

2018 NCAA KISSIMMEE REGIONAL

Reunion Resort, Watson Course

Kissimmee, Fla.

• The Tar Heels are the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Kissimmee Regional. The entire field in seed order includes (with Golfstat ranking): Vanderbilt (5), Florida (8), UNC (17), South Florida (20), Kent State (29), Arizona (32), Purdue (41), Colorado State (44), St. Mary's (Calif.) (53), UCF (57), Coastal Carolina (86), Jacksonville State (142), Georgetown (159) and Central Connecticut State (224).

• Regional play begins May 14 and is contested over 54 holes May 14-16. The low five teams, and top individual not on the five teams, will advance to the 2018 NCAA Championship May 25-30 in Stillwater, Okla.

TAR HEEL LINEUP (listed alphabetically)

Ben Griffin – Sr., Chapel Hill, N.C. (4th NCAA Regional)

Austin Hitt – So., Longwood, Fla. (2nd NCAA Regional)

Joshua Martin – Jr., Pinehurst, N.C. (2nd NCAA Regional)

Jose Montaño – Sr., Cochabamba, Bolivia (4th NCAA Regional)

William Register – Sr., Burlington, N.C. (4th NCAA Regional)

Ryan Gerard – Fr., Raleigh, N.C. (alternate)

SEASON RECAP

• Andrew DiBitetto is in his first season as head coach and Matt Clark is in his first as assistant coach. DiBitetto was UNC's assistant and associate head coach the previous six years. Clark came to Chapel Hill after 14 seasons as head coach at Georgia State and UNCW.

• Carolina has won two tournaments, its first season with multiple victories since Ben Griffin and William Register were freshmen in 2014-15.

• Senior Ben Griffin earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors for the second time (2015 and 2018).

• UNC has finished in the top five in seven of 11 events this year, winning the Tar Heel Intercollegiate on its home course (UNC Finley GC), setting a school record at 49 under par (275-270-270). UNC broke its 54-hole school record by 16 strokes and 49 under par was the second-lowest score to par in ACC history.

• The Tar Heels also won the Western Intercollegiate at Pasotiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, Calif. UNC shot 14 under, 10 clear of runner-up California. Nationally-ranked Texas, Southern California and Stanford were also in the field.

• Griffin and seniors Jose Montaño and William Register have played in the Tar Heel lineup in all 11 tournaments.

• Carolina is ranked 17th in the country by Golfstat and 19th by Golfweek. The Tar Heels are the third-highest ranked team in the NCAA Kissimmee Regional behind Vanderbilt (5) and Florida (8).

CURRENT RANKINGS

Golfstat: UNC (17), Ben Griffin (56), William Register (95), Jose Montaño (104), Ryan Gerard (129), Austin Hitt (169), Joshua Martin (NR)

Golfweek: UNC (19), Griffin (35), Montaño (98), Register (106), Hitt (174), Gerard (175), Joshua Martin (NR)

CAREER LEADERS

• Carolina's senior trio of Ben Griffin, William Register and Jose Montaño and sophomore Austin Hitt have four of the top 10 stroke averages in Carolina men's golf history.

• Griffin is UNC's all-time leader in career average at 71.95 (9929 strokes in 138 rounds over 47 tournaments).

• Register is second with an average of 72.16 (9448 strokes in 134 rounds over 46 tournaments).

• Montaño is third with an average of 72.19 in 67 rounds as a Tar Heel. He played his first two seasons of college golf at Xavier. His four-year combined career average in 131 rounds is 72.12.

• Hitt is ninth with an average of 72.82 (4661 strokes in 64 rounds in 22 events).

SINGLE-SEASON STROKE AVERAGES

• Three of Carolina's starters enter the regional with stroke averages this season under 72. They are among the six-lowest stroke averages in UNC single-season history.

• Griffin leads the team at 70.61, which is on pace to break his own school record, which he set at 71.06 as a freshman in 2014-15. Griffin, a recipient of a post-graduate scholarship from the Atlantic Coast Conference, is on pace to become the first player in Tar Heel history to post a career average under 72 and a single-season average under 71.

• Montaño is second on the team this season at 71.45, which is fourth-best in UNC history.

• Register is third at 71.55, which is the sixth-lowest stroke average in school history. Register also has the 10th-best mark at 71.63, which he set in 2014-15.

CAROLINA IN THE NCAA REGIONALS

• Carolina is playing in an NCAA Men's Golf Regional for the 26th time and the fifth time in the last six years.

• The Tar Heels have played in a regional in 1989-90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-99-2000-01-02-03-04-06-07-08-10-13-15-16-17-18.

• Carolina has advanced through regional play to the NCAA Championship 18 times, including 2017.

• UNC's top finishes in a regional are a pair of second places in 1993 and 1995 and third place in 1989 and 2002.

• Carolina's low round in a regional was a 15-under-par 273 in the second round of the 1998 East Regional at the Melrose Golf Course in Daufiskie Island, S.C. That round included a 64 by Max Harris and a 66 by Don Hill. Harris's 64 is the lowest round ever by a Tar Heel in NCAA regional competition.

• The Tar Heels have finished under par twice as a team in regional play. UNC was 5 under in finishing second in 1993 at the Birdwood Golf Course in Charlottesville, Va., and 2 under in tying for sixth place in 1999 at the Rhode Island Country Club in Barrington, R.I.

• William Register shot a 66 in the opening round of the 2015 NCAA Regional in Chapel Hill.

• Jose Montaño has shot below par in six of nine NCAA regional rounds and has finished in the top 25 three times (seventh, 22nd and 17th).

Year Site Place To Par

1989 North Myrtle Beach, S.C. 3rd* +17

1990 Savannah, Ga. 9th* +2

1991 New Haven, Conn. 8th* +40

1992 Hamilton, N.Y. T-10th* +32

1993 Charlottesville, Va. 2nd* -5

1994 Opelika, Ala. 6th* +27

1995 New Haven, Conn. 2nd* +29

1996 Kiamesha Lake, N.Y. 4th* +36

1997 Hot Springs, Va. 5th* +46

1998 Daufiskie Island, S.C. T-6th* -2

1999 Barrington, R.I. 6th* +22

2000 Moosic, Pa. T-9th* +43

2001 Stillwater, Okla. 14th +31

2002 Roswell, Ga. 3rd* +13

2003 Manhattan, Kan. T-4th* +3

2004 New Haven, Conn. T-10th* +42

2005 Kingston Springs, Tenn. 14th +8

2006 Orlando, Fla. 4th* +10

2007 Alpharetta, Ga. 8th* +13

2008 Bremerton, Wash. 15th +31

2010 Bryan, Texas 12th +46

2013 Tempe, Ariz. 9th +12

2015 Chapel Hill 8th +6

2016 Marana, Ariz. 13th +53

2017 Stanford, Calif. 5th* +3

* advanced to NCAA Championship

UNC's NCAA REGIONAL SUPERLATIVES

Best Team Finish: 2nd in 1993 and 1995

Best 54-Hole Score to Par in NCAA Regional: -5, 1993

Best 18-Hole Score (Par 70) in NCAA Regional: 277, 3rd round, 2017

Best 18-Hole Score (Par 71) in NCAA Regional: 276, 1st round, 2005

Best 18-Hole Score (Par 72) in NCAA Regional: 273, 2nd round, 1998

Best Individual Finish: Ross Bain, T2nd in 1996; Bob Cherry, 2nd in 2002

Low Round, Individual: 64 by Max Harris, 2nd round, 1998

Low 54-Hole Score: 206 by Martin Ureta, 2005; Brandon Dalinka, 2013

Low 54-Hole Score to Par: -7 by Martin Ureta, 2005

2017 NCAA STANFORD REGIONAL

• Carolina shot 3-over-843 (288-278-277) to finish fifth and advance to the NCAA Championship. UNC finished behind Stanford (-17), Baylor (-17), Pepperdine (-6) and Baylor (-3), one shot ahead of Georgia Tech for the final spot to advance.

• Austin Hitt shot a 3-under-67 and Ben Griffin and Jose Montaño shot 69s in the third round. UNC was six shots out of the top five heading into the final round. Griffin (11th) and Montaño (17th) placed in the top 20.

• Four-fifths of Carolina's lineup from Stanford returns this season. Zach Martin was the lone senior in the 2017 lineup. Joining the four returnees is Zach's brother, Joshua, who played for the Tar Heels in the 2016 Arizona Regional.

BEN GRIFFIN (Senior, Chapel Hill, N.C.)

Ranked No. 56 Golfstat/No. 35 Golfweek

All-ACC in 2015 and 2018 • First Tar Heel to earn multiple All-ACC honors since Kevin O'Connell in 2008-09 • Honorable mention All-America in 2015 and 2017 • Carolina's all-time leader (71.95) and single-season leader (70.61 in 2017-18) in stroke average • Has played the 11 events this season in 27 under par • Leads UNC this season in rounds under par (19), rounds in the 60s (12) and birdies (139) • Ranked sixth in the ACC in stroke average this year • Won three college tournaments – 2014 Tar Heel Intercollegiate, 2014 Bridgestone Collegiate at UNCG, 2017 Tar Heel Intercollegiate • Has 18 top 10s • Playing in his fourth NCAA regional (T55 in 2015, 72nd in 2016, 11th in 2017) • Shot 68-69 in final two rounds in the 2017 Stanford Regional • Broke UNC 54-hole records for fewest strokes (197) and lowest score to par (-19) in winning the 2017 Tar Heel • Made 19 birdies in the Tar Heel • Career-best 63 in the final round at the Tar Heel is the second-best score in the ACC this season • Shot a final-round 68 and finished tied for third at -13 in November in the 2017 Andeavor Sun Bowl All-America Classic held at the El Paso Country Club • Is playing in his 48th team event for the Tar Heels • Tied for 11th at 2017 NCAA Championship • Made the ACC Honor Roll twice and is the athletic director's scholar-athlete for men's golf • Eighth at MacKenzie Tour qualifier in Florida in late March to earn a spot in the tour's first four events.

WILLIAM REGISTER (Senior, Burlington, N.C.)

Ranked No. 95 Golfstat/No. 106 Golfweek

Second in career stroke average at Carolina (72.16) • Has the sixth- and 10th-best single-season stroke averages by a Tar Heel (71.55 this season and 71.63 as a freshman) • Ranked 16th in the ACC in stroke average this year • Two-time college winner as a freshman • Has eight top fives and 12 top-10 finishes as a Tar Heel • Playing in his fourth NCAA regional (T13 in 2015, T54 in 2016, T38 in 2017) • Shot 66 in the opening round in the 2015 Chapel Hill Regional • That tied the second-lowest round in NCAA regional play by a Tar Heel • Made the ACC Honor Roll three times and is a two-time Academic All-ACC • Won the McCaskill Award in 2018 – one of four seniors who received the award based on outstanding academics, athletics and service • Tied for ninth at MacKenzie Tour qualifier in Florida in late March to earn a spot in the tour's first four events.

JosHUA Martin (Junior, Pinehurst, N.C.)

Playing in his second NCAA Regional • Was in the starting lineup in Arizona in the 2015 regional • Averaged 72.54 strokes in eight events this season • Shot below 71 in one of his first 18 rounds, then four of his last six • Season-best T8 finish at John Hayt after back-to-back 69s in the final two rounds and was tied for 16th at the Western with a 70-67-72 • Season-best 3 under at the Tar Heel and John Hayt.

Jose Montaño (Senior, Cochabamba, Bolivia)

Ranked No. 104 Golfstat/No. 98 Golfweek

Second on the team this season in stroke average at 71.45, the fourth best in UNC single-season history • Two-year stroke average at Carolina of 72.19, third best in school history behind Griffin and Register • Leads the Tar Heels this season with seven eagles and is second in birdies with 121 • Second on the team in cumulative score to par this year at even par • Ranked 13th in the ACC in stroke average • Shot 64 and 65 in the final rounds in UNC's two wins this season • His 64 at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate was a career-best and capped a 54-hole career-best 202 • Made Carolina's only ace this year (at NC State) • Played two seasons at Xavier • Has played in 46 team events as a collegian – his score has counted in 113 of 117 rounds (96.6 percent of the time) • Has 16 career top-10 finishes and won three times (twice at Xavier, once as an individual entry at UNC) • Has played in three NCAA regionals and shot under par in six of nine rounds in those regionals • Finished T7 in the 2015 NCAA Regional in Noblesville, Ind., T22 in 2016 in Nashville and T17 in 2017 at Stanford • Academic All-ACC and Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar in 2017.

RYAN GERARD (Freshman, Raleigh, N.C.)

Ranked No. 129 Golfstat/No. 175 Golfweek

Six top-20 finishes in nine events with a season-best T6 at the John Hayt Collegiate in Ponte Vedra, Fla. • Also T7 at the John Burns in Hawai'i • Cracked the starting lineup for the first time in the second spring tournament (John Burns) • Led or tied for the best UNC finish in each of his first three starts – at the John Burns, Lamkin San Diego and John Hayt • Stroke average of 71.89 is 14th best in UNC history • Counting score in 13 of 15 rounds in the lineup • Shot a season-best 67 in the final round in the Tar Heel and the first round at Sea Best • Shot at or below par in 16 of 27 rounds • Shot 71-71 in the first two rounds in the ACC Tournament • Honorable mention Rolex Junior All-America.

AUSTIN HITT (Sophomore, Longwood, Fla.)

Rankings: No. 169 Golfstat/No. 174 Golfweek

Season stroke average of 72.11 and career average of 72.82 • Has five top-20 finishes in nine events this year • Enters the NCAA regional with top 20s in three of his last four starts (T6 at Lamkin San Diego, T14 at John Hayt and T20 at the Western) • Has shot at least one round in the 60s in five events with a season-low 66 in the second round at the John Hayt • Was Carolina's second-best finisher at the 2017 NCAA Championship at Sugar Grove and helped the Tar Heels advance out of the Stanford Regional with a final-round 67.

2018 FALL SIGNEES

Ryan Burnett (Lafayette, Calif.), Luis Castro (Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Philippines) and Dougie Ergood (Mount Laurel, N.J.) signed National Letters of Intent in the fall of 2017 to attend the University of North Carolina and play men's golf for the Tar Heels.

• Burnett was named to the Toyota USA Junior World Cup team. The four-player squad will compete in Japan in June. Castro won the 2018 Philippine Junior Amateur Open. Ergood became the first scholastic player to repeat as medalist at the Garden State (N.J.) Cup.

CURRENT TAR HEELS IN NCAA REGIONAL PLAY

2015—CHAPEL HILL—CHAPEL HILL (UNC FINLEY GOLF COURSE) PAR 72

T13 William Register 66-76-72 214 -2

T21 Carter Jenkins 72-73-71 216 E

T41 Henry Do 73-71-76 220 +4

T55 Ben Griffin 75-70-78 223 +7

T63 Brandon Dalinka 75-75-76 226 +10

8 UNC 286-289-295 870 +6

2015—NOBLESVILLE—NOBLESVILLE, IND. (THE SAGAMORE CLUB) PAR 72

T7 Jose Montaño (Xavier) 72-70-72 214 -2

2016—ARIZONA—MARANA, ARIZ. (Gallery at Dove Mountain) Par 72

T50 Carter Jenkins 74-81-70 225 +9

T54 William Register 77-76-73 226 +10

T64 Henry Do 76-76-78 230 +14

69 Joshua Martin 83-79-75 237 +21

72 Ben Griffin 83-82-77 242 +26

13 UNC 310-312-295 917 +53

2016—NASHVILLE—FRANKLIN, TENN. (Vanderbilt Legends Club) PAR 72

T22 Jose Montaño (Xavier) 70-71-71 212 -4

2016—STANFORD—STANFORD, CALIF. (Stanford Golf Course) PAR 70

11 Ben Griffin 72-68-69 209 -1

T17 Jose Montaño 74-68-69 211 +1

T33 Austin Hitt 75-73-67 215 +5

T38 William Register 71-73-72 216 +6

T38 Zach Martin 71-69-76 216 +6

5 UNC 288-278-277 843 +3

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ryan Gerard

Ben Griffin

Austin Hitt

Joshua Martin

William Register