PROVO, Utah – No. 40 BYU men's golf finished its 2017-18 season with a trip to the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf National Championship, for the first time in 12 years.
"It was great to get back to the NCAA Championship, that was the goal this season," said BYU head coach Bruce Brockbank. "I'm really pleased with the effort from the players."
The Cougars started their postseason run with a second-place finish at the NCAA Norman Regional. BYU fired back-to-back 10-under-par rounds during the second and third days, jumping from ninth to tie for second place and earn a bid to the NCAA Championship.
At the NCAA Championships, BYU finished 24th after weather played a significant role on the first two days of competition. Patrick Fishburn advanced to the fourth day, competing as an individual where he finished 35th overall.
Two-time West Coast Conference Player of the Year, Fishburn led the team throughout the entire season. The senior finished second at the NCAA Norman Regional with a 10-under-par 206, only one stroke behind the winner. The Utah native racked up 10 top 10 finishes throughout the season, including first place at the Pacific Invitational, where he matched his BYU career-low score of 65 in the final round.
Sophomore Rhett Rasmussen finished his season with an 18th-place tie at the NCAA Norman Regional. He was named to the WCC Honorable Mention team after tying for third place at the WCC Golf Championship. After the completion of his sophomore season, Rasmussen was one of 20 amateurs who qualified to participate in the 2018 U.S. Open.
Fellow sophomore Peter Kuest tied for fifth at the NCAA Norman Regional, shooting a six-under-par 66. Kuest had four top 5 finishes on the season, including a first-place finish at the Nick Watney Invitational, where he shot his BYU career-low 65 in the first round.
Senior CJ Lee and junior Spencer Dunaway helped the Cougars to their second place finish at the NCAA Norman Regional, as well as participating at the NCAA Championship. Lee tied his BYU career-low of 67 in the third round of the Pacific Invitational.
BYU competed in 11 tournaments throughout the 2017-18 season, as well as the West Coast Conference Championship where they finished tied for third. The Cougars finished top five at every tournament during the fall season, including first place finishes at the William H. Tucker Invitational and the Nick Watney Invitational. During the spring season, the men's team finished top five four times, including an 8-under-par tie for first place at the Geiberger Invitational.
"All the players really stepped up in a big way and filled their role. They will have to step up again next year as well," Brockbank said. "We have plenty of players in place to step up this summer if they stay focused."
The Cougars lose seniors Fishburn and Lee but Rasmussen, Kuest and Dunaway will all return to the team next year.