The UCSD golf team ended its season last week after finishing in 18th place in a field of 20 teams at the NCAA Division II South Central/West Regional. 

Competing at the Home Course in Dupont, Wash. (par-72, 7,078-yards), UCSD finished with a three-round total of 892, 28 strokes over par. Fellow California Collegiate Athletics Association member Cal State Monterey Bay finished first with a score of 854, just one stroke ahead of second place Western Washington University and two strokes in front of third-place Grand Canyon University. The top five squads will advance to the NCAA championships held in Hershey, Pa., May 20 to May 24.

“I was pretty disappointed,” UCSD Assistant Coach Keith Okasaki said. “I know we’re a lot better. [Junior Lewis Simon] had a good first round, [junior Fredrik Palmer-Picard] and [freshman Clayton Yamaguchi] and [sophomore Jay Lim] played well in the second round, but we just couldn’t put it together.”

Yamaguchi was UCSD’s top finisher with third overall at the CCAA championships and a score of 221 (5 over par), tying for 54th. Palmer-Picard and Simon both finished tied for 61st, 6 over par 222.

Lim tied for 82nd (227), and junior Jacob Williams finished in 108th place (242). 

The NCAA appearance was the second consecutive time the Tritons have qualified for regionals. Prior to 2012, the last time UCSD had qualified was in 2007, and with the Tritons only graduating Palmer-Picard, UCSD should be in good shape for next season.

“Jay is our best player,” Okasaki said. “We’re really looking for Clay [Yamaguchi] and [freshman Dan Yang] to step up next season. Clay had a good freshman year; [with] Dan, we’re expecting to put the time in over the summer and come back strong. And with Lewis [Simon] and Jacob [Williams] and [junior David Smith], I think we should have a pretty strong six for next season.”