MARICOPA, Ariz. (May 18, 2023) – The Washington State men's golf team is slated to play in its second-ever postseason tournament this week, as the Cougars are set to participate in the inaugural National Golf Invitational presented by GOLFWEEK. Play begins this Friday, May 19, at the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club and runs through Sunday, May 21.
Tournament Format
The 2023 Men's National Golf Invitational will feature 13 college teams competing in a 54-hole stroke-play tournament May 18-21 with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2023 Maui Jim Intercollegiate at Mirabel Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona this September.
In May 2022, the NCAA announced it would allow schools to play in one season-ending event, similar to college basketball's NIT. By July 2022, the inaugural National Golf Invitational was created in a partnership between Golfweek and Ak-Chin Southern Dunes with Golfweek's Lance Ringler serving as the Invitational's tournament director. A committee determined the invitation-only field using both the Golfweek/Sagarin and Golfstat rankings, while also considering teams who had strong regular seasons.
Course Information
The NGI will take place at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club, a 7,330-yard, par 72 course located in Maricopa, Arizona. Teams will play in one 18-hole round per day starting this Friday, May 19. Each round of the National Golf Invitational will begin at 7:30 a.m. PT. Washington State tee off the first round this Friday between 8:40-9:12 a.m. PT.
The Field
Teams set to play in the Men's National Golf Invitational along with the Cougars will be Arkansas State, Stetson, Santa Clara, Wyoming, Troy, Oral Roberts, Texas State, Penn State, Ball State, Valparaiso, Utah Valley, and George Washington.
Washington State Lineup
1) Jaden Cantafio 2) Preston Bebich 3) Sam Renner 4) Drayton Joseph 5) Daniel Kim
Live Results
Fans can follow all of the action at the National Golf Invitational at GolfStat.com.
Last Time Out
The Washington State men's golf team finished the 2023 Pac-12 Men's Golf Championship in a tie for third place on the team leaderboard to post the best team finish at the Pac-12s in program history, as the Cougars end the Conference Championship by carding 5-under 1,395.
Washington State posted the second-best team score in the final round of the 2023 Pac-12 Men's Golf Championship, as the Cougars shot 3-over 353 on Sunday to move up three spots on the team leaderboard in the fourth round and end the tournament tied for third place with Colorado. It is the best team finish in program history, topping the previous best team finish of sixth place which happened in 1973.
WSU's four-round score of 1,395 (-5) at the 2023 Pac-12 Championship sets the school record for the lowest team score at a Pac-12 Championship, besting the previous record of 1,412 (-12) set at the 2018 Pac-12 Championship at Rolling Hills Country Club. The Cougars posted round scores of 344-349-349-353; 1,395 at the Stanford Golf Course this weekend. WSU's first-round score of 344 is the second-lowest 18-hole team score in school history at the Pac-12 Championship, while Washington State's second and third-round scores of 349 are tied for the fourth-best team 18-hole score at the Pac-12s for the Cougs.
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