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BYU golfer Rhett Rasmussen wins NCAA regional, Cougars also advance to nationals after second-place finish

BYU junior Rhett Rasmussen won the NCAA's Pullman Regional golf tournament on Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Photo courtesy of Jaren Wilkey, BYU photo.

Led by junior Rhett Rasmussen’s top individual finish, BYU’s men’s golf team placed second at the NCAA’s Pullman (Wash.) Regional and advanced to the national championships next week in Fayetteville, Ark.

Rasmussen, from Draper, shot his second-consecutive 7-under-par 63 on Wednesday at the Palouse Ridge Golf Club to finish at 15-under 195 and win the tournament by two shots over Zach Smith of UC Santa Barbara. Rasmussen shot 69-63-63 in the 54-hole tournament for his second college individual championship, having won the Goodwin at Stanford, Calif., his freshman season.

Having started on the back nine, Rasmussen, a 2018 U.S. Open participant, birdied his final three holes to break from a pack tied for the lead.

As a team, the No. 32-ranked Cougars recovered nicely after finishing fourth at the West Coast Conference championships last week. The top five teams advanced.

BYU freshman Carson Lundell shot an even-par 70 on Wednesday and finished at 6-under 204, tied for 17th. Junior Peter Kuest, one of the pre-tournament favorites, shot a 67 on Wednesday and finished at 5-under 205, tied for 24th.

Sophomore Kelton Hirsch, the 2017 Utah State Amateur champion, finished at 4-under 207 after shooting a 66 on Wednesday and tied for 29th. Utah State transfer Brock Stanger, a sophomore, tied for 47th.

Former Weber High star Connor Howe shot a 6-under 204 for Georgia Tech and finished in a tie for 17th place. His team finished fourth and also qualified for nationals.

Stanford Regional

University of Utah golfer Kyler Dunkle, the 2018 State Amateur runner-up who was competing as an individual at the Stanford Regional in the Bay Area of California, shot a 68 on Wednesday and tied for sixth place. Dunkle will advance to nationals as well, becoming the first Ute golfer to make nationals since 2006.

Southern Utah’s Jake Vincent, the first-round leader, tied for 33rd at 1-over-par 214.