Indiana junior Drew Salyers competed at the 2023 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship this past weekend at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. Salyers shot a three-round score of 226 (77–76–73; +16), landing him tied for 131st place overall as an individual.
Indiana as a team was eliminated after the NCAA Auburn Regional, but Salyers qualified for the NCAA Championships by recording the top individual score of a non-advancing team.
Salyers was the first Hoosier to compete individually in an NCAA Championship golf event since Jake Brown reached the finals in 2008. In the first round of play, Salyers was in an extensive tie for 130th place after he shot a 77 (+7). Salyers sat at +2 through the front nine before ending his round with pars on 11 of 18 holes.
Georgia Institute of Technology’s Senior Ross Steelman sat comfortably in first place after the first round, shooting a 64 (-6), while sitting two strokes ahead of the second place finishers.
In the second round of the tournament, Salyers shot a 76 (+6), bringing his two round total to 153 (77–76; +13). Salyers’ overall placement dropped to 132nd overall –– even with a one stroke improvement from the first round. He carded an additional par in the second round, picking up par on 12 of 18 holes.
Georgia Tech’s Steelman remained in first place after the first round by shooting a 69 to bring his two round score to 133 (64–69; -7).
For the third and final round of the tournament, Salyers played alongside Loyola Marymount University’s junior Riley Lewis and Furman University’s senior Sam Lape. Salyers saved his best round of golf in the tournament for his last, shooting a 73 (+3).
Salyers once again improved his score, parring 14 of 18 holes in the last round of the tournament. Salyers recorded one birdie on hole six and shot above par only once in the last nine holes of the third round.
Salyers ended the tournament with a final score of 226 (77–76–73; +16). The junior moved up one spot from the second round, improving from 132nd place to 131st place overall.
Steelman finished first place overall as an individual with a final score of 201 (64–69–68; -9). After finishing the first round in first place, Steelman never moved down on the leaderboard. The University of Illinois finished first place as a team, shooting a combined score of 834 (-6).
This marks the end of both Indiana and Salyer’s 2022-23 season. The Hoosiers season was highlighted by a second place finish at the 2023 Hoosier Collegiate Invitational and a fourth place finish at the Big Ten Championships. Salyers has at least one more year of eligibility left and would aid the Hoosier squad if he stays for the 2023-2024 season.
The 2023-2024 Indiana men’s golf schedule has yet to be released, but will be posted online as well as on the program’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts when the schedule is finalized.
